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WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 

*V * 

E. A. BIRGE, Director W. O. HOTCHKISS. State Geologic 

A. R. WHITSON, In Charge, Division of Soils 

SOIL SURVEY IN COOPERATION WITH THE COLLEGE OP AGRICULTURE 

H. L. RUSSELL, Dean 


BULLETIN NO. 54-A 


SOIL SERIES NO. 23 


SOIL SURVEY 

OF 

BUFFALO COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


BY 

A. R. WHITSON, W. J. GEIB, T. J. DUNNEWALD, AND 0. J. NOER 

OF THE 

Wisconsin- Geological and Natural History Survey 

AND 

CLARENCE LOUNSBURY AND L. CANTRELL 

OF THE 

U. S. Department of Agriculture 


SURVEY CONDUCTED IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF SOILS 
MILTON WHITNEY, CHIEF 
CURTIS F. MARBUT, IN CHARGE SOIL SURVEY 


MADISON, WISCONSIN 
PUBLISHED BY THE STATE 
1917 


:>»i 






Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 




BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 


& 


EMANUEL L. PHILIPP, 
Governor of State. 


CHARLES R. VAN HISE, President, 

President of the University of Wisconsin. 


CHARLES P. CARY, Vice-President, 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

HENRY L. WARD, Secretary, 

President of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. 


STAFF OF SURVEY 


ADMINISTRATION: 

Edward A. Birge, Director and Superintendent. In immediate 
charge of Natural History Division. 

William 0. Hotchkiss, State Geologist. In immediate charge of 
Geology Division. 

Lillian M. Veerhusen, Clerk. 

GEOLOGY DIVISION: 

William O. Hotchkiss, In Charge. 

T. C. Chamberlin, Consulting Geologist, Pleistocene Geology. 

Samuel Weidman, Geologist, Areal Geology. 

E. F. Bean, Geologist, In Charge of Field Parties. 

0. W. Wheelwright, Geologist, In Charge of Field Parties. 

R. H. Whitbeck, Geologist, Geography of Lower Fox Valley. 
Lawrence Martin, Geologist, Physical Geography. 

F. E. Williams, Geologist, Geography and History. 

NATURAL HISTORY DIVISION: 

Edward A. Birge, In Charge. 

Chancey Juday, Lake Survey. 

H. A. Schuette, Chemist. 


DIVISION OF SOILS: 

A. R. Whitson, In Charge. 

W. J. Geib,* Editor and Inspector. 

W. M. Gibbs, Analyst, in charge of Soil Survey Laboratory. 
T. J. Dunnewald, Field Assistant and Analyst. 



st. 


r arge 13241 

3. Deoartm 

DOCUMENTS OlVi&iQKi 


•Scientist in So$ Survey J^Irl charge I «2E£fiteld o. 
the Bureau of Soils, U. S. Deoavtment of Agricult 


l orations in Wisconsin for 
ire. 








TABLE OE CONTENTS 


Page 

Table of Contents. 3 

Illustrations . 5 

Introduction. 7 

Soil Classification. 9 

CHAPTER I. 

General Description of the Area. 11 

Soils . 16 

CHAPTER II. 

Light Colored Upland Soils. 17 

Knox silt loam. 17 

Knox silt loam, steep phase. 18 

Lintonia silt loam. 23 

CHAPTER III. 

Dark Colored Upland Soils. 27 

Waukesha silt loam. 27 

Bates silt loam. 29 

Bates fine sandy loam... 31 

Chemical composition and management of dark colored up¬ 
land soils. 33 

CHAPTER IV. 

Light Colored Fine Sandy Loam Soils. 34 

Boone fine sandy loam. 34 

Plainfield fine sandy loam. 38 

Lintonia fine sandy loam. 39 

Chemical composition and management of light colored fine 

sandy loam soils. 41 

CHAPTER V. 

Light Colored Sands and Fine Sands. 42 

Lintonia fine sand. 42 

Boone fine sand. 43 

Waukesha gravelly sandy loam.’. . 44 

Plainfield fine sand. 45 

Plainfield sand. 47 

Chemical composition and management of light colored sands 

and fine sands... 48 






























4 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


CHAPTER VI. 

Miscellaneous Material. 53 

Rough stony land. 53 

Genesee fine sandy loam. 54 

Genesee silt loam. 56 

Genesee silty clay loam. 57 

Wabash loam. 58 

Peat . 59 

CHAPTER VII. 

General Agriclu.ture of Buffalo County. 60 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Problem of Soil Erosion in Buffalo County. 66 

CHAPTER IX. 

' Climate . 69 


SUMMARY. 












ILLUSTRATIONS 


Plates and Figures. 

page. 


Plate I. View along the Mississippi River. 12 

Plate II. View showing Lintonia silt loam on a terrace joining 

steep slopes of the upland. 22 

Plate III. View across the valley of the Buffalo River. 58 

Plate. IV. View showing how ravines may start on a gentle slope 66 

Fig. 1. Sketch map showing areas surveyed. 11 

Fig. 2. Showing average dates of last killing frost in the spring.. 74 

Fig. 3. Showing average dates of first killing frost in the fall. ... 74 

MAP. 


Soil Map of Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Attached to hack cover. 









INTRODUCTION 


Before the greatest success in agriculture can be reached, it 
is necessary that the farmer should have a thorough knowledge 
of the soil upon his own farm. A soil may be well adapted to one 
crop, and poorly adapted to another crop. Clover will produce a 
vigorous growth and profitable yields on the average loam soil 
which contains lime and is in a sweet condition; but on a sandy 
soil which is sour, or in an acid condition, clover will not make a 
satisfactory growth. We may say, therefore, that failure is cer¬ 
tain to be invited when such important facts are disregarded, or 
overlooked. The degree of success which it is possible to win on 
any farm is in direct proportion to the practical knowledge pos¬ 
sessed by the farmer concerning the soil and its adaptation to 
crops. A thorough knowledge of the soil is as essential to the 
farmer as a knowledge of merchandise and business methods is to 
the merchant. 

The State of Wisconsin, working in cooperation with the 
United States Department of Agriculture, is making a careful 
study of soils and agricultural conditions throughout Wisconsin, 
and is preparing soil maps and soil reports of all counties in the 
State. A soil map shows the location and extent of the different 
kinds of soil. Tracts of 10 acres and over are mapped, but often 
areas of even smaller extent are shown. The soil map is pre¬ 
pared by trained men, who go over a county thoroughly, and 
examine the soil by making a sufficient number of borings to a 
depth of 36 inches to keep account of all variations. A report is 
also made, to accompany and explain the map, and this is based 
upon a careful study of the soils within the region surveyed, and 
upon such other features as have a direct bearing upon the agri¬ 
culture of the area. 

It is the object of this survey to make an inventory of the soils 
of the State, and to be of practical help to farmers by locating 
and describing the different soils, by determining their physical 



8 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


character and chemical composition, and by offering suggestions 
for their management, based upon the work of the Soil Survey 
within the area, covered in the report, and upon the results of 
field tests made by the Experiment Station. 

Soil fertility depends upon two factors: first, upon the physi¬ 
cal characteristics of the soil, such as water holding capacity, 
workability, etc., and second, upon the chemical composition of 
the material composing the soil. The chemical composition de¬ 
pends upon the mode of origin of the soil, and the source of mate¬ 
rial from which the soil is derived. 

Water holding capacity, and other physical properties of soil 
all depend chiefly upon texture, which refers to the size of the 
individual soil grains, or particles. A coarse sandy soil, for ex¬ 
ample, will not retain moisture so long as a loam soil, or clay 
loam, because the finer the soil grains, the greater will be the 
total soil-grain surface area to which moisture may adhere. Tex¬ 
ture is determined in the field by rubbing the soil between the 
thumb and fingers, and with experience one soon becomes expert 
at judging the size of soil grains. This field judgment is verified 
in the laboratory by a mechanical analysis, which is made by a 
simple method of separating soil grains into different groups, of 
which there are seven. These are known as clay, silt, very fine 
sand, fine sand, medium sand, course sand, and fine gravel, and 
the following table gives the size of the soil particles of which 
each group or separate is composed. 


TABLE SHOWING SIZE OF SOIL PARTICLES 


Fine gravel . 

Coarse sand . 

Medium sand . 

Fine sand . 

Very fine sand . 

Silt . 

Clay . 

1 millimeter equals .03937 ol an inch. 


Millimeters 
2.000-1.000 
1.000- .500 
.500- .250 
.250- .100 
.100- ;050 
.050- .005 
.005- .000 


A chemical analysis is also made of the soil to determine the 
amounts of various essential plant-food elements which are pres¬ 
ent. A chemical analysis shows whether the soil contains a large 
store of plant food, or only a small quantity, and it indicates 
which kinds of plant food will probably be needed first. The 
amount of organic matter in the soil is also determined, and tests 
are made to show conditions relative to soil acidity. 









GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


9 


SOIL CLASSIFICATION. 

Soils are grouped according to texture into soil classes, a soil 
class being made up of soils having the same texture, though dif¬ 
fering in other respects. A fine sand, for example, may be light 
colored and of alluvial origin, while another fine sand may be 
dark in color and of residual origin, while a third fine sand may 
have been blown into sand dunes by the wind, yet all of these 
soils would belong to the same class, because the greater propor¬ 
tion of the soil grains have the same size or texture. Thus we 
may have different kinds of clays, loams, sands, etc., and the class 
to which any soil will belong depends upon the size of the indi¬ 
vidual soil grains of which it is composed, and not upon its 
color, origin, topographic position, or agricultural value. 

SOIL CLASSES 

Soils Containing Less Than 20% Silt and Clay 

Coarse sand.—Over 25% fine gravel and coarse sand, and less than 50% 
of any other grade of sand. 

Sand.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand, and less than 
50% fine sand. 

Fine sand.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, coarse 
and medium sand. 

Very fine sand.—Over 50% very fine sand. 


Soils Containing Between 20-50% of Silt and Clay 

Sandy loam.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand. 

Fine sandy loam.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, 
coarse and medium sand. 

Sandy clay.—Less than 20% silt. 


Soils Containing over 50% of Silt and Clay 

Loam.—Less than 20% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silt loam.—Less than 20% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silty clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay.—Over 30% clay. 

Soils may be grouped in another way. Where soils are closely 
related through similar sources of the material from which 
derived, mode of origin, topographic position, etc., so that the 
different soils constitute merely a graduation in texture of other¬ 
wise uniform material, such a group is called soil series. It 


10 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


corresponds to the family which is made up of different individ¬ 
uals having the same parentage. The Miami series, for example, 
includes light colored, glacial material where the soils have been 
derived largely from the underlying limestone, and the soils in 
the series range in textuie from a clay loam to sand and gravel. 
The Plainfield series includes light colored soils in regions where 
no limestone is present, where the parent rock was largely sand¬ 
stone, and where the material occurs as outwash plains or stream 
terraces. The soils in this series also have a wide range in tex¬ 
ture. The name used for a soil series usually indicates the local¬ 
ity where that particular series was first recognized and mapped 
by the Soil Survey. 

By uniting the name of the soil class which refers to texture, 
with the name of the soil series which refers chiefly to origin, we 
get the soil type which is the basis or unit of classifying and map¬ 
ping soils. A soil type thus, is a soil which is uniform through¬ 
out its entire extent in texture, color, topographic position, and 
other physical properties, and having a distinct agricultural 
unity, that is, being adapted to the same crops, and requiring 
the same treatment. It is also uniform in the source of material 
from which it is derived, and the mode of origin which, taken 
together, determine the chemical composition. Since the soil 
type is the unit in classifying and mapping soils, and the basis 
upon which experimental work should be conducted, every farmer 
should be familiar with the soil types on his farm, and their lead¬ 
ing characteristics. 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY, 

WISCONSIN, 


CHAPTER I. 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


Buffalo County, Wis., borders the Minnesota State line about 
midway between the south State line and Lake Superior. It is 
bounded on the north by Pepin and Eau Claire Counties and on 



K£Ct»MD/SWCC SURVEY 


Of NORTH FART OF 


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/ y x MRTHWfrsTSft/y W/SCOKS/A/ 


LINCOLN 


WmmmW/, 

RECOA/WISSAMCE SURVEY 


771YW* 


tornm * **tern y /sco * s//y 


WAUPACA 


[portage 


OUTAGAMIE 


TREMPE¬ 

ALEAU 


MANITOWOC 


WINNEBAGO 


ADAMS 


"MONROE 


MARQUETTE!GREEN 


SHEBOYGAN 


VERNON 


RICHLAND 


CRAWFORD 


r GRANT 


RACINE 


WALWORTH 


GREEN 


LA FAYETTE 


JKENOSHA 


IIVfcmifckB; 


IH.1M.1IBS! 


FIG. 1.—Sketch map showing area surveyed. 


the east by Trempealeau Comity, the southern part of the east¬ 
ern boundary line following the Trempealeau River. The south 
boundary line runs in a southeast and northwest direction, and 





























































































12 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


the county is separated from Wabasha and Winona Counties, 
Minn., by the Mississippi River. The northwestern part of the 
county is separated from Pepin County by the Chippewa River. 
The county is about 27 miles wide in the northern part and grad¬ 
ually tapers to a point at the southern extremity. It is about 
381/2 miles long, and has an area of 687 square miles, or 439,680 
acres. 

Topographically, Buffalo County consists of two plains, a lower 
and higher. The latter covers nine-tenths or more of the total 
area of the county, the former occurring only in the northeastern 
part as belts of lowland, one of them being followed by Buffalo 
River to Mondovi and continuing in about the same direction 
northwestward to the county line and beyond, and another, fol¬ 
lowed by Elk Creek. These are connected by a belt along Buffalo 
River south of Mondovi. This is a rolling and undulating plain 
lying about 300 feet below the level (1,100 feet) of the higher 
plain. It is the extreme western part of an extensive plain lying 
to the east, and has been formed on a soft sandstone of Paleozoic 
age. It is bounded by an escarpment terminating in a rather 
abrupt slope from the higher plain. The two branches of the 
lower plain are separated by an outlying remnant of the upper 
plain. The lower plain is the product of erosion in an advanced 
stage of development, and lies now at low relief. 

The topography of the upper plain is hilly, due to complete 
dissection and it now stands in a stage of maturity. 

According to the census of 1910, the population of Buffalo 
County is 16,006. The rural population is evenly distributed 
through the county. 

Alma, with a population of 1,011, is the county seat. It is 
situated on the Mississippi River and has the advantage of both 
railroad and water transportation. Fountain City, with a popu¬ 
lation of 1,031, is also on the Mississippi River in the southern 
part of the county. Mondovi, with a population of 1,325, is the 
largest incorporated town in the county. It is situated on the 
Buffalo River, in the northeastern part of the county, and is the 
center of a prosperous agricultural community. Nelson and 
Cochrane are smaller places on the railroad, while Gilmanton, 
Montana and Waumandee are small villages off the railroads. 

All the railway lines thus far built have kept to the valleys. 
There are thus considerable areas which are at some distance 
from shipping points. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- 



Wisconsin Geol. and Nat. Hist. Survey. 





























































r 



















GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


13 


road, running from Chicago to Minneapolis and St. Paul, 
traverses the county, following close to the Mississippi River and 
passing through Fountain City, Cochrane, Alma, and Nelson. 
The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway from Fair- 
child reaches into the northeastern corner of the county and 
terminates at Mondovi. A branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul Railway follows the Chippewa River to the Mississippi 
on the Buffalo County side, but is of little service to the county, 
since for most of its extent it lies within the flood plain of the 
Chippewa River, and is very difficult to reach. The extreme 
southern end of the county is crossed by a branch of the Chicago 
& North Western and also by the Green Bay & Western railroad. 
The distance from Alma to Minneapolis over the Chicago, Bur¬ 
lington & Quincy Railroad is 89 miles and to Chicago 353 miles. 
From Mondovi to Chicago over the North Western line the 
distance is 327 miles, and to Milwaukee 246 miles. The Missis¬ 
sippi River affords water transportation, but at present is used 
to a comparatively small extent. 

The main dirt roads throughout the upland portion of the 
county are usually kept in good condition, as the predominating 
soil material naturally makes a good roadbed; but hills are 
numerous, and the grades are often steep, so that hauling heavy 
loads is difficult. Throughout sandy portions of the county, 
where foreign material has not been applied, the roads are nat¬ 
urally sandy. All parts of the county are supplied with rural 
mail-delivery service, and telephones are common throughout the 
country districts. 

Local towns provide a market for varying quantities of farm 
produce and suppty shipping points from which produce is ship¬ 
ped to outside markets. Winona, Minn., just across the Mis¬ 
sissippi River, constitutes a market for produce from the south¬ 
ern part of the county. Minneapolis, St. Paul, Chicago, and 
cities within the State receive produce from Buffalo County. 

Buffalo County lies in the unglaciated part of Wisconsin and 
in its geologic formations, topography, and soil conditions is rep¬ 
resentative of a very large area in the southwestern and western 
part of the State. Three general physiographic divisions are 
easily recognizable: (1) The uplands proper, which are gently 
undulating to strongly rolling and in places even steep and 
rough in topography; (2) the terraces and level valley areas 


14 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


occurring in the position of terraces; and (3) the overflow plains 
of the present streams. 

The soils in the last two divisions have been derived to a very 
large extent, if not wholly, from the soils of the first division 
and represent wash material transported by the streams and 
deposited in their flood plains. The material of the first bot¬ 
toms is of recent deposition and the process is still going on; 
but those in the terraces are much older, some probably dating 
back to glacial time or before, with the result that through 
weathering the surface has come to be more like that of the 
uplands than that of the first bottoms. 

The upland soils are predominantly silty, as is the case 
throughout the unglaciated area of the State. The great extent 
of silty soils has led some to believe that a blanket of wind blown 
material originally overspread most of the region and that the 
soils are derived for the most part from this deposit and are 
residual from the underlying formations which in an undecom¬ 
posed state are now usually found at a depth of less than 15 feet 
from the surface and outcrop in many places. The silty material 
is of a rather smooth texture and comparatively free of stone 
or other coarse material, but it is just such material as would 
be expected to result from the mature weathering of the country 
rock, consisting of fine and cherty limestones, shales, and sand¬ 
stones. 

Over a large part of the county the uppermost rock consists 
of the lower Magnesian limestone. Once the limestone was con¬ 
tinuous as the surface formation, but as the result of erosion 
which has deeply dissected and worn away much of the old plain, 
it is now found only as remnants capping the higher hills and 
ridges and giving way in all the lower levels to the Potsdam sand¬ 
stone, the immediately underlying formation. The limestone 
and a massive phase of the Potsdam sandstone outcrop along the 
upper slopes and give rise to steep stony slopes and cliffs. At 
lower levels the principal rock is a thin-bedded sandy shale or 
shaly sandstone with occasional layers of a heavier shale, 
underlain by limestone, characterized in general by a brownish- 
gray to brown silty soil underlain by a yellowish brown or buff- 
colored silty clay loam subsoil, are classed in the Knox series. 
The soils of the slopes below the limestone lying mainly on the 
sandstone and shale layers and which have been made up in part 
or wholly of materials derived from the sandstone, have been in- 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


15 


eluded in the Boone series. Where these slope soils are distinctly 
dark in color, they are included in the Bates series. The Boone 
series includes a fine sandy loam and a fine sand. The Bates 
series, of which the area is small, includes a silt loam and a fine 
sandy loam. 

Distinct terraces are developed in the Mississippi Valley and 
also in the larger tributary valleys. The terraces in tributary 
valleys are occupied largely by soils which are predominantly 
silty, with comparatively little sand, while in the Mississippi Val¬ 
ley and Chippewa Valley the greater part of the material out¬ 
side of the present flood plain is of a sandy nature. This tei- 
race material is classed with three series—the Waukesha, which 
is black or dark brown; the Lintonia, which is light colored and 
not underlain by gravel or other coarse material; and the Plain- 
field, which is light colored and rests upon a substratum of sand 
and gravel. In the Waukesha series there are two types, the 
gravelly sandy loam and silt loam. In the Lintonia series three 
types are recognized—the Lintonia silt loam, fine sandy loam, 
and fine sand; and in the Plainfield series three types—sand, 
fine sand, and fine sandy loam. 

In many of the smaller valleys tributary to the Mississippi and 
Chippewa Valleys the present flood plain consists of a dark-col¬ 
ored material, variable in texture and color, and poorly drained. 
This material has been carried down from the unglaciated higher 
lands, transported by streams and redeposited. Such material 
is classed with the Wabash series, and in the present survey one 
type—the Wabash loam—is recognized and mapped. The soil 
of the present flood planes of the Chippewa and Mississippi Riv¬ 
ers which, in addition to being poorly drained, is subject to over¬ 
flow by these streams at intervals, has been classed with the Gen¬ 
esee series. This series includes a fine sandy loam, silt loam, and 
silty clay loam. 

On the steep slopes throughout the upland part of the county 
there are extensive tracts where the outcrops of rock are so 
numerous or the surface so steep and broken that the land is of 
no agricutural value except for the little pasturage it affords. 
Such land has been classed as Rough Stony Land and may be 
considered as non-agricultural. 

A few low-lying acres occur in which the material consists of 
vegetable matter in various stages of decomposition. Such tracts 
are mapped as Peat. 


16 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


The following table gives the name and the actual and 1 da¬ 
tive extent of each of the soils* mapped in Buffalo County. 


Soil 

Acres 

Per cent 


104,256 £ 



105,216J 

47.6 


62,912 

14.3 


36,480 

8.3 


31,872 

7.3 


20,200} 



1,984$ 

6.7 

W’flnlrP'Rha silt, loam . 

19,520 

4.4 

T.intnnifl silt lnnm . 

7,168 

1.6 

Bates sift, loam . . 

7,168 

1.6 

Bnonp finp sand . . . . 

6,656 

1.5 

Pp^t .... . 

6,409 

1.5 

Plainfipld fine sandy loam. 

6,00 

1.4 

Lintonia. finf* Rflndv loam . 

3,904 

.9 

Plainfield fine sand . 

3,776 

.9 

Plainfield sand . 

3,776 

.9 

Bates fine sandy loam . 

1,344 

.3 

Waukesha gravelly sandy loam. 

1,088 

640 

.2 

Lintonia silt loam . 

.1 



Total. . 

439,680 





* The soil classified in this report as Knox silt loam -with its steep phase, includes 
what was mapped by the U. S. Bureau of Soils as Boone silt loam, with a rolling 
phase, and Union silt loam with a steep phase. The Waukesha silt loam and gravelly 
sandy loam were originally included in the La Orosse series. The Plainfield fine sandy 
loam and fine sand also include some soils previously mapped by the Bureau of Soils 
as belonging to the La Crosse series. 










































LIGHT COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


17 


CHAPTER II. 

LIGHT COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 

Knox Silt Loam 

Description .—The surface soil of the Knox silt loam to an aver¬ 
age depth of 10 inches consists of a light-brown or grayish friable 
silt loam. When dry it has a smooth, floury feel. The amount of 
organic matter present in the soil is rather small, and this ac¬ 
counts, in part, for the light color. The subsoil consists of a yel¬ 
lowish-brown or buff-colored silt loam, which becomes heavier, 
more compact, and claylike with increased depth, until, at about 
18 to 24 inches, it is a silty clay loam. The soil mantle extends to 
an average depth of probably 8 to 12 feet. The underlying rock 
was not reached with the soil auger except in local spots on a 
narrow ridge, at the edge of a bluff, or at the head of a ravine. 
Both soil and subsoil are practically free from stone, gravel, or 
other coarse material, although occasional fragments of chert 
are to be seen on the surface or in the subsoil close to the lime¬ 
stone rock. On account of the heavy subsoil and the uniformly 
silty character of the soil, the type is commonly referred to by 
farmers throughout the county as a clay. 

The most important variation in this soil has been designated 
as the steep phase, on account of its steep slopes and rough, un¬ 
even topography. This phase is described in greater detail fol¬ 
lowing the description of the typical soil. 

Minor variations in the typical soil occur, chiefly on the nar¬ 
row ridges, where the surface soil has sometimes been removed 
and the heavy subsoil exposed. In such places the depth to the 
underlying rock is also less than over the more extensive areas 
of this type and in some instances it can be reached with a 3-foot 
auger. On some of the lower slopes the wash from adjoining 
higher land has accumulated to a small extent, and the surface 
soil in such places is somewhat deeper than the average. On some 
slopes the soil is somewhat darker in color and contains more 


18 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


organic matter than typical. While a number of such minor 
variations occur, this soil, taken as a whole, is remarkably uni¬ 
form. 

Extent and Distribution .—The Knox silt loam, with its steep 
phase, is one of the most important soil types in Buffalo County. 
It occurs in all parts of the county and occupies the limestone 
ridge tops of the entire upland portion of the survey. It lies at 
a higher level than any other type and includes all of the lands 
above the rough stony escarpments. It also covers many of the 
valley slopes descending to the level valley terrace soils. 

Topography and Drainage .—The topography of the Knox silt 
loam as it occurs on the ridge tops may be classed, in most cases, 
as undulating to gently rolling. On the narrower ridges and at 
the heads of valleys it becomes more rolling and grades into the 
steep phase, while over portions of the broader ridges the surface 
is nearly level. That part of the typical soil occupying the lower 
slopes and lower outlying ridges is gently rolling, but often 
grades abruptly into the steep phaze or Rough Stony land. 

On account of the fine texture and the peculiar structure of 
this soil a considerable proportion of the type is subject to ero¬ 
sion, and care must be exercised in selecting crop rotations and in 
the cultivation of all slopes, even though the slope is gentle. 
Some erosion will take place even on rather gentle slopes where 
intertilled crops are grown or where the ground is left bare and 
not cultivated for a considerable time. Wherever the slopes are 
so steep that intertilled crops can only be grown at intervals, 
or where no crops other than grass can be grown without danger 
of serious erosion, such slopes have been included with the steep 
phase. 

Owing to the character of the topography, the natural surface 
drainage of the type is good, so that tile drains will doubtless 
never be necessary except possibly on some of the broader ridges, 
where the surface is more nearly level than elsewhere. 

Origin .—The Knox silt loam has the uniform silty texture, 
the buff-colored subsoil, and other held characteristics of a loes- 
sial formation, though it is considered that part of the material 
has been derived from the underlying rock, the lower Magnesian 
limestone. The material forming this soil is sometimes found to 
be in a slightly acid condition. The subsoil is less acid than the 
soil, and frequently shows no acidity at all. 


LIGHT COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


19 


Native Vegetation .—The original timber growth on this type 
consisted chiefly of white, black, and bur oaks. Maple, poplar, 
hickory, white birch, and basswood are also commonly seen, and 
hazel brush is frequently abundant. Some of the older settlers 
state that most of the timber was originally on the ridges, and 
that many of the valleys were treeless, being burned over an¬ 
nually by the Indians, who used some of the land for grazing. 
Some of the wider valleys, with dark-colored slopes, were tim¬ 
bered sparsely with oak and were called ‘ ‘ oak openings. ’ ’ Most of 
the timber which is now standing is confined to the steepest slopes 
and associated chiefly with the Rough stony land. Small wood 
lots are also seen on top of some of the narrow ridges. 

Present Agricultural Development .—By far the greater part 
of the typical Knox silt loam is under cultivation and highly im¬ 
proved, while much of the steep phase is still in timber or pas¬ 
ture land. The leading type of agriculture followed consists of 
dairying in conjunction with general farming. As the grow¬ 
ing of wheat, which was a very important industry 20 to 25 
years ago, declined, the raising of live stock and the dairy in¬ 
dustry gradually developed. 

The principal crops grown at the present time and the average 
yields obtained are as follows: Corn, 40 to 45 bushels; oats, 35 
to 45 bushels; barley, 30 to 35 bushels; wheat, 20 to 25 bushels; 
and hay, 2 to 2y 2 tons per acre. Oats are grown more extensively 
than any other grain crops. The acreage of barley is consider¬ 
ably smaller than that of oats and the acreage devoted to wheat 
is still less. The quality of the small grains grown on the Knox 
silt loam is excellent, and this soil is generally held to be a better 
grain soil than any of the other soils of Buffalo County. Corn, 
on the other hand, does not do so well on this type as on the- 
darker colored soils of the Wabash or AVaukesha series, though 
the crop is successfully grown wherever this soil occurs. Most of 
the grain and corn grown is fed to stock on the farms, though 
elevators at Alma, Fountain City, and Mondovi still ship much 
oats and barley and some wheat. AA T here the land is well farmed 
but little trouble is experienced in growing clover. When the 
snowfall is light the alternate freezing and thawing of the ground 
sometimes kills out clover. Pasturage, in general, is excellent, 
being scant only in very dry weather, or on shallow slopes or 
knolls exposed directly to the sun. 


20 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


Buckwheat, rye, and sorghum are produced on this soil, but 
their acreage is never large. Alfalfa is successfully grown by a 
few farmers and the acreage will no doubt be gradually increased, 
as the crop provides excellent feed, which is of great value, 
especially to the dairy farmers. Potatoes are grown for home 
use on practically every farm, but seldom on a commercial scale. 
Tobacco is grown to a small extent, but the crop is not increasing 
in favor. Beans and peas are not extensively grown on this type, 
being confined chiefly to soils of lighter texture. Garden crops, 
such as strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, and cucumbers, 
and bush berries all do well and are grown for home use, but 
seldom on a commercial scale. 

The rotation of crops most commonly followed on the Knox 
silt loam consists of a small-grain crop, such as oats, barley, or 
wheat, with which clover and timothy are seeded, hay being cut 
for two years, after which the land is plowed for corn. A field 
may be pastured for a year, but on account of the large amount 
of steep land on most of the farms such land is used for pasture 
and the hay fields are not often grazed. 

When the soil is cultivated under the proper moisture condi¬ 
tions but little difficulty is experienced in securing a good seed 
bed. If handled when too wet there is danger of puddling. 
Where the clay loam subsoil is near the surface or exposed on 
the narrow ridge tops, cultivation is more difficult than on the 
broad ridges where the surface soil has a good depth. Because 
of the rather low organic-matter content, the type is somewhat 
less loamy than some of the other silt loams. Practically the only 
fertilizer used on this soil is stable manure. A second crop of 
clover may be plowed under, but the practice of green manuring 
is not at all common. Fall plowing is practiced to some extent, 
and this is advisable where there is but little danger from ero¬ 
sion, but on slopes which are apt to wash it is better to plow in 
the spring. 

W hile farming is well developed on this type and most farmers 
are prosperous, there is considerable room for improvement. 

Land of this type has a considerable range in value, depending 
upon location, improvements, and the character of the surface. 
The best improved farms, conveniently located, and with a large 
proportion of their acreage on the broadest ridge tops, range in 
value from $75 to $100 an acre. Most farms include land of the 
steep phase of this type, and many include some Rough stony 


LIGHT COLORED U PL AND SOILS. 


21 


land, which detract from their value. In some remote parts of 
the county, and where there is a large proportion of the steep 
land on the farms, values range from $30 to $60 an acre. 

Knox Silt Loam, Steep Phase .—In general physical character 
and appearance the soil of the steep phase is essentially like the 
typical soil, the basis of separation being one of topography. As 
a whole the color and texture of the soil may be slightly lighter 
than the typical soil, and the average depth to rock is less. Be¬ 
cause of its steep, broken character, this phase has a lower agri¬ 
cultural value than the typical soil. 

The steep phase of the Knox silt loam occurs in all parts of 
the county intimately associated with the main type and fre¬ 
quently grading into it in such a way as to make the drawing of 
a definite boundary line difficult. It occupies steep slopes gen¬ 
erally about the heads of small streams heading in the lime¬ 
stone areas above the Rough stony land. On these slopes, which 
form the more or less steep sides of the valleys, the silt soil is sub¬ 
ject to erosion and careful methods are often necessary to prevent 
destructive ditch formations while these slopes are under culti¬ 
vation. When the steep slopes are neither wooded, in pasture, 
nor covered by a growing crop to protect them, the soil washes 
badly and ditches are quickly and deeply cut into the hillsides. 
When erosion has once started in this way it is difficult to check, 
so that methods of prevention are very important. 

The natural drainage of the steep phase is good, except in 
small areas along the slopes where springs and seeps may occur. 
The greater part of it is so rolling that too large a percentage of 
the rainfall runs off, and crops often suffer from lack of moisture. 

The Knox silt loam, steep phase, has practically the same ori¬ 
gin as the typical soil, though as a rule there is less depth to bed¬ 
rock, and chert fragments occur on the surface and through the 
soil mass in greater abundance. As with the typical soil, it is 
partly residual from a cherty magnesian limestone and partly of 
loessial origin. 

The original timber growth consisted of the same trees as on 
the typical soil, oak predominating. Most of the standing tim¬ 
ber outside of the bottom lands is now found on this phase and 
on the Rough stony land with which it is associated, though a 
considerable proportion of the steep land is cleared and either in 
cultivation or pasture land. 


22 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


The same crops are grown on the steep phaze as on the typical 
soil, but less corn and other intertilled crops are grown and 

more of the land is in grass and pasture than on the main type. 
The ordinary yields of all crops are somewhat lower. Because 

of the steep character of the surface the phase is more difficult 
to work than the typical soil. The steepest portions of the phase 
are now in timber or pasture land and the remainder is devoted 
to general farming. 

Land values are subject to considerable variation. The phase 
usually forms only a portion of the farms, occurring in associa¬ 
tion with the typical soil and in some cases also with Rough 
stony land. It is estimated, however, that the value of this class 
of land alone would range from $25 to $50 an acre, depending 
upon the degree of slope and the area under cultivation, as well 
as upon the location and improvements. 

Chemical Composition and Management .—Numerous analyses 
of the Knox silt loam indicate that it contains on the average 
about 900 pounds of phosphorus, 35,000 pounds of potassium 
and 2,700 pounds of nitrogen in the surface soil eight inches 
of an acre. Analysis of the timbered soil as compared with 
cultivated fields indicates that cropping reduced the content of 
phosphorus in the virgin soil to a considerable extent in some 
cases. The most severe drain on phosphorus was probably during 
the grain raising days of 30 or 40 years ago and the removal of 
this element of plant food is possibly not so rapid now under 
the dairy system of farming. 

The total potassium is sufficient to meet the needs of crops 
for a long time to come, but the availability of the mineral for 
the use of plants can be greatly increased by having a supply 
of decomposing organic matter in the soil. The improvement of 
this soil as a whole calls for more organic matter and may be 
added in the form of green manuring crops turned under or as 
manure. 

Many fields have become sour or acid on the surface through 
continued cropping, especially on the higher ridges, the soil in 
the valleys and on the slopes being supplied with lime dissolved 
by rain and flood water from the limestone which caps the ridges. 
Where trouble with clover or alfalfa is had, lime will be needed 
and such fields should be tested with blue litmus paper for acid¬ 
ity. Where the soil is acid a ton of finely ground limestone per 


VIEW SHOWING LINTONIA SILT LOAM ON THE TERRACE JOINING THE STEEP SLOPES OF THE UPLAND. 

On many of these steep slopes the soil is shallow, and the underlying- rock frequently outcrops. Care should be taken to prevent erosion on such slopes 

when the timber is removed. The steepest slopes should be allowed to remain forested. 



Wisconsin Geol. and Nat. Hist. Survey. Plate II 

























































































LIGHT COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


23 


acre will be found to help clover, while for alfalfa 2 tons or more 
should be used. 

The question of erosion is an important one on this type of 
soil and especially on that part designated as steep phase. In 
many cases the loss of organic matter and phosphorus from the 
soil by erosion is considerable, and often the fertility and yields 
on some fields could be greatly improved by proper attention 
being paid to the arrangements of the fields and crops and the 
protection of the fields from erosion. 

When the slope becomes so steep that the bare ground washes 
to any extent, care should be used to keep that field in hay or 
pasture as much as possible or it should be laid out in alternate 
strips of cultivated crop and sod land if practicable. Where the 
slope is so steep that modern farm machinery cannot be used, 
cultivated crops should seldom if ever be grown. When timbered 
such slopes should remain so and be used for pasture only. 
Badly eroded slopes can be restored by proper cropping and 
management. For further data on erosion see Bulletin 272 of 
the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 

Chemical analyses of Lintonia silt loam show it to contain on 
the average slightly more of the essential plant food elements 
than occur in Knox silt loam which it very much resembles in 
texture, structure, and color. Suggestions offered for the 
improvement and management of the Knox silt loam will also 
apply to this type of soil except as regards erosion. While this 
soil is eroded in some cases, the topography being level sheet 
erosion does not often occur, and methods for combatting gullies 
only are necessary. 

Lintonia Silt Loam. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Lintonia silt loam to an 
average depth of 10 inches consists of a brownish-gray, friable 
silt loam, which becomes lighter colored on drying and frequently 
has a whitish appearance. The amount of organic matter pres¬ 
ent in the surface soil is comparatively small, and this accounts 
in part for the light color of the material. A slight acid condi¬ 
tion has developed in places in the surface soil, as indicated by 
the litmus-paper test. The subsoil consists of a yellowish-brown 
or buff-colored silt loam, which usually becomes somewhat heavier 
and more compact with depth, and at 24 to 30 inches may be 


24 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


a silty clay loam. Below this depth there is often a considerable 
amount of fine and very fine sand, and this mixture extends to 
a depth of 3 feet or over and grades into stratified fine sand, 
with layers of gravel in the lower depths. The type is subject 
to some variation, and in Glencoe Township and the valley of 
Buffalo River the soil is somewhat darker than typical. 

The soil quite closely resembles the Knox silt loam in texture 
and color, but differs from it in topography, origin, and the 
position which it occupies. 

Extent and Distribution .—The most extensive areas of Lin- 
tonia silt loam are found in the Buffalo River Valley in the 
vicinity of Tell, where terraces of this soil have a width of from 
one-half to three-fourths of a mile, and these frequently extend 
back to tributary valleys for 1 mile to 3 miles. A number of 
areas also occur in Little Bear Creek Valley in the northwestern 
part of the county. Lower Big Waumandee creek valley and 
tributaries, and tributary valleys of the Trempealeau River in 
the southeastern part of the survey also contain quite extensive 
remnants of Lintonia silt loam terraces. 

Topography and Drainage .—The surface of the Lintonia silt 
loam is usually level or nearly so, frequently having a gentle 
slope toward the stream channels along which it occurs. The 
type occurs as terraces, usually rather narrow, but extending 
along the streams for considerable distances. The part adjoining 
the upland rises slowly and frequently grades into the Knox silt 
loam so gradually that the boundary line must be arbitrarily 
placed. Near the Mississippi Valley the terraces of this soil have 
an elevation of 20 to 30 feet above the present flood plain, but as 
the distance back from the Mississippi River increases, the eleva¬ 
tion of the terraces above the flood plain becomes less, and the 
difference finally is not over 4 or 5 feet. As this type is found 
chiefly at the foot of considerably higher lying slopes, which are 
often very steep, large quantities of water must pass over the 
terraces during heavy rains, and as a result deep ravines are 
frequently formed. Such gullies may become a source of great 
expense and loss to individual farms. The natural drainage of 
this type is usually good, but there are a few places where the 
surface is nearly level, and in places over such tracts tile drains 
could be installed to advantage. 

Origin .—The material composing the Lintonia silt loam is 
largely of alluvial origin and was deposited during glacial 


LIGHT COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


25 


periods when the melting ice sheets greatly increased the vol¬ 
ume of water flowing down the Mississippi River and many of its 
tributaries. The high water in the Mississippi River itself 
caused a backwater or partly ponded condition in the tributary 
streams. In these more or less quiet waters the finer particles 
now forming the soil were deposited. The coarser particles in 
the deep subsoil were deposited earlier, before the ponded condi¬ 
tion prevailed and when the current was swifter. It is probable 
that a portion of the surface material, especially close to the foot 
of the bluffs, is partly colluvial, having been washed down the 
steep slopes from the Boone and Knox silt loam areas, which 
are always found at a higher elevation. 

The gravel in the Lintonia terraces is of glacial origin. In the 
valley of Buffalo River such gravel is found as far up as Mon- 
dovi, though none is found in this valley more than a mile east 
of Mondovi. Such gravel, however, is found in the valley of 
Farrington Creek to the west of Mondovi. 

Native Vegetation .—The original timber growth on the Lin¬ 
tonia silt loam consisted chiefs of oak, with some hickory and a 
few other species. Most of the timber has been removed. In the 
ravines there is now a second growth of sumac, hazel, and other 
brush. 

Present Agricultural Development .*—Practically all the type, 
except the more eroded areas, is put to some agricultural use, 
and most of it is cultivated regularly. The land where erosion 
is most active is kept in pasture most of the time, or the grass 
may be cut for hay. The crops generally grown and the yields 
obtained are: Corn, 45 to 50 bushels; oats, 25 to 40 bushels; 
barley, 30 to 35 bushels; and hay, iy 2 to 2 tons per acre. Pota¬ 
toes are grown on the type to a small extent for home use, but 
seldom on a commercial scale. The usual rotation consists of 
corn followed by a small grain, either oats or barley, or some¬ 
times by one year of each of these crops, and then by clover and 
timothy mixed, seeded with the grain, the field being cut for 
hay one or two years, before returning to corn. The stable 
manure is usually applied to the sod to be plowed under for the 
corn crops. The methods of cultivation, fertilization, and treat¬ 
ment are practically the same as those practiced on the Knox silt 

*For chemical composition and management see the discussion on 
composition of Knox silt loam on page 22. 



26 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY . 


loam. The soil is not difficult to cultivate, and where the areas 
are of sufficient size to form fields or the larger part of a farm, 
this terrace soil may be considered one of the most desirable 
types in the county. 

Farms made up largely of soil of this type sell for $50 and $80 
an acre, depending upon the location and improvements. 


DARK COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


27 


CHAPTER III. 

DARK COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 

WAUKESHA SILT LOAM. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Waukesha silt loam to 
a depth of 12 to 18 inches consists of a dark-brown or black silt 
loam containing a high percentage of organic matter. Its high 
percentage of silt and organic matter gives the soil an extremely 
smooth feel. The subsoil consists of a brown or buff-colored silt 
loam, which gradually becomes heavier in texture and lighter in 
color and at 24 to 30 inches consists of a yellowish-brown, com¬ 
pact, heavy silt loam or silty clay loam. In local areas where the 
drainage is deficient the subsoil shows a slight mottling of light 
gray or drab. This heavy subsoil extends to a considerable depth 
and the soil section will probably average 7 to 8 feet in thick¬ 
ness. Below this heavy mantle are to be found stratified beds of 
sand. Along the Mississippi and Buffalo Rivers and Farrington 
Creek some glacial gravel may also be found with the sand. 

Extent and Distribution .—The largest areas of this soil occur 
in Little and Big Waumandee Valleys, where it is most typically 
developed. In the vicinity of Anchorage the black soil occupies 
most of each valley for a distance of 6 or 7 miles. The area varies 
in width from one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile. A compara¬ 
tively extensive area is mapped also at the mouth of Schultz and 
Newton Valleys west of Mondovi and in Farmington Valley 
northwest of Mondovi. Strips of this type about one-fourth mile 
in width and from 1 mile to 3 miles in length are found in a 
great many of the smaller tributary valleys scattered over the 
county. 

Topography and Drainage .—The surface of the Waukesha silt 
loam is level or has a very gentle slope toward the streams along 
which it occurs. In places it occupies a distinct terrace and lies 
about 6 to 10 feet above the present flood plain of the stream, 
while in other places it occupies an entire valley floor through 


28 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


which the stream has cut its channel, with the present water 
level from 3 to 10 feet below the surface of the type. Natural 
drainage over most of this type is fairly good. A few of the 
lower areas are subject to overflow during the heavy rains of 
spring, but by far the greater proportion is not subject to 
inundation. A considerable part of the type would be benefited 
by tile drains, though these have not been installed to any great 
extent. Because of the gentle slope or level character of the 
surface, there is no danger of erosion. 

Origin .—The material composing the Waukesha silt loam is of 
alluvial origin and occurs in the valleys of many streams through¬ 
out the county. The upper section, consisting largely of silt, was 
deposited in comparatively quiet waters, but the beds of sand 
forming the lower section were deposited by more rapidly mov¬ 
ing currents. The dark color of the soil is due to the large con¬ 
tent of organic matter resulting from the growth and decay 
of rank vegetation in the presence of moisture. 

Native Vegetation .—The native vegetation consists largely of 
grasses, with some timber, mainly oak, elm, and soft maple. The 
greater part of the merchantable timber has been removed. 

Present Agricultural Development A —Practically all of the 
Waukesha silt loam can be cultivated, and the greater propor¬ 
tion of it is now in farms and well improved. It is one of the 
most highly valued soils of the county, and with the soils of 
the Bates series comprises the best corn land. The yields of 
corn range from 60 to 80 bushels per acre during favorable years, 
and the ordinary yields are larger than those from the other 
types in the county. The small grains do well, but the quality is 
not so good as that of grains grown on the Knox silt loam. Oats 
and barley each yield about 40 to 45 bushels per acre. An ex¬ 
cessive quantity of straw is apt to be produced and these grains, 
especially oats, are likely to lodge. Clover and timothy do well 
and pasturage is always good. 

A rotation frequently followed consists of corn followed by 
small grain for 1 or 2 years and then hay for 2 years. Corn is 
often grown on the same field for 2 or 3 years in succession, and 
on the whole not enough consideration is given to the rotating 
of crops. Because of the natural fertility of this soil farmers 

*For chemical composition and management of this type of soil see 
page 33. 



DARK COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


29 


have abused it. Cropping has been heavy and in many cases no 
element of fertility has been returned to the soil. 

The Waukesha silt loam is not difficult to handle under proper 
moisture conditions, but it can not be worked under so wide a 
range of moisture conditions as the Bates silt loam, which has 
better drainage. Where the soil is well drained alfalfa can be 
successfully grown. 

Land of this character brings from $80 to $150 an acre, 
depending upon location and improvement. 

The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of 
samples of the soil and subsoil of the Waukesha silt loam: 


MECHANICAL ANALYSES OF WAUKESHA SILT LOAM 


Description 

Fine 

gravel 

Coarse 

sand 

Medium 

sand 

Fine 

sand 

Very fine 
sand 

Silt 

Clay 


Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per ee tt 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Soil . 

0.0 

0.3 

0.4 

1.6 

10.9 

73.4 

13.4 

Subsoil . 

.0 

.1 

.2 

.6 

11.4 

72.3 

15.4 


BATES SILT LOAM. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Bates silt loam to an 
average depth of 12 to 14 inches consists of a heavy, black to 
dark-brown silt loam. The amount of organic matter in the 
surface soil is large, and the material has the smooth feel char¬ 
acteristic of silt. Litmus-paper tests indicate that the soil is in 
an acid condition. The subsoil consists of a heavy silt loam of a 
brown or chocolate-brown color, which gradually becomes lighter 
in color with depth. At 24 to 30 inches the material becomes a 
yellowish-brown, slightly sticky, heavy silt loam. Below this 
depth it frequently becomes lighter in texture and at 40 inches 
there is usually an appreciable amount of fine and very fine 
sand. On the higher slopes and tops of knolls the soil is lighter 
in color than elsewhere, and in such locations the surface material 
has been eroded, leaving the subsoil exposed. On some of the 
lower knolls underlain by sandstone the soil is thin and there is 
more or less coarser material mixed with it, giving it a somewhat 

sandy texture. 

«/ 


























30 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


Extent and Distribution. —The Bates silt loam is of small 
extent, the largest areas occurring directly north of Hondovi, 
occupying the sloping land bordering Big Bear Greek Valley, 
along the North Fork of Elk Creek, and the valleys of Big 
Waumandee and Kammuler Creek. Other scattered areas of 
small extent occur in various parts of the survey. 

Topography and Drainage. —The position which the type occu¬ 
pies is intermediate between the Waukesha silt loam of the ter¬ 
races and the Knox silt loam of the highest parts of the country. 
It occupies gentle slopes and even rather rolling upland areas, 
but these are always parallel with the alluvial valleys and imme¬ 
diately bordering them. The type grades into Waukesha silt 
loam on the one hand and Knox silt loam on the other, so that 
there is quite a range in the color of the material. On account 
of the sloping surface, the natural drainage is excellent, while 
the slopes are seldom steep enough to cause any considerable 
damage from erosion. 

Origin. —The silty material composing this type of soil is prob¬ 
ably of residual origin from a shaly phase of the Potsdam forma¬ 
tion or it may be partly loessial. It differs from the Boone silt 
loam principally in its higher organic-matter content. 

Native Vegetation. —The type as a whole is generally known as 
“oak openings,” having been originally timbered with scattered 
clumps of large oak trees, while the intervening spaces were in 
a semiprairie condition, supporting a more or less heavy growth 
of prairie grass. 

Present Agy'icultural Development.* —The Bates silt loam is 
one of the desirable types of soil in the county. Because of its 
great natural fertility, it frequently has been ill used, too little 
attention being given to crop rotation and fertilization. All the 
general crops grown in the region do well on this type, and the 
average yields of some of the crops are considerably higher than 
on most of the other soils. The soil is especially well adapted to 
corn, of which the ordinary yield is 50 to 60 bushels an acre. 
This type and the Waukesha silt loam are the two best corn soils 
in the county. Barley produces 30 to 35 bushels and oats 30 to 40 
bushels per acre. Wheat is still grown to some extent and yields 
of 25 to 30 bushels per acre are not at all uncommon. The qual¬ 
ity of the small grains is not so good as of those grown on the 


*For chemical composition and management see page 33. 



DARK COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


31 


Knox silt loam. Clover and timothy produce iy 2 to 2 tons per 
acre, and the pasturage is generally excellent. The rotation of 
crops most generally followed consists of corn, small grains, and 
hay. Of the small grains, oats is most commonly grown, though 
barley may also be grown in the rotation following the oats. A 
few small fields of alfalfa have been established on this soil. 
Where the acid condition is corrected and the soil inoculated this 
crop promises very well. 

Dairying is the chief branch of farming followed, and hog 
raising is carried on quite extensively on many of the dairy 
farms. The buildings and other improvements on this soil are as 
a rule better than the average. Silos are in quite general use. 

Farms located on land of this type have a selling price rang¬ 
ing from $75 to $100 an acre, depending upon improvements and 
nearness to markets. 

Below are given the results of mechanical analyses of samples 
of the soil and subsoil of the Bates silt loam: 


MECHANICAL ANALYSES OF BATES SILT LOAM 


Description 

Fine 

gravel 

Cbarse 

sand 

Medium 

sand 

Fine 

sand 

Very fine 
sand 

Silt 

Clay 


Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Per cent 

Soil . 

0.0 

0.4 

0.4 

1.4 

13.2 

68.6 

15.9 

Subsoil . 

.0 

.2 

.2 

1.5 

16.6 

66.7 

14.9 


BATES FINE SANDY LOAM. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Bates fine sandy loam 
to an average depth of 10 to 12 inches consists of a dark-brown 
to black fine sandy loam, which contains a large amount of 
organic matter. When dry the material has a dark-grayish 
appearance. Litmus-paper tests usually indicate an acid condi¬ 
tion. The subsoil consists of a choclate-brown fine sandy loam or 
loam which becomes lighter in color with depth. At 22 to 24 
inches it is frequently a heavy silty loam, and sometimes is quite 
clay-like in appearance. At 38 or 40 inches the material is 
usually a yellow fine sandy loam. 

The soil is subject to some variation and over small areas 
ranges from a fine sandy loam to a loam in texture, although the 
greater proportion of the material is a fine sandy loam. 
























32 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


Extent and Distribution. —The Bates fine sandy loam is one of 
the minor types of the county, occupying only 2.1 square miles. 
Nearly all of this type is found on the slopes bordering the south 
side of the Buffalo River Valley east of Mondovi. Here it occurs 
as a narrow strip from one-fourth to one-half mile wide, parallel¬ 
ing the valley in an east and west direction for nearly 4 miles. 

Topography and Drainage. —This type occupies the lower por¬ 
tion of a long, gently rolling, residual fine sandy loam slope 
which leads down to the valley from the limestone ridges 3 miles 
south. The surface of the type is gently undulating and nearly 
level in places, but usually has a gentle slope toward the river. 
In a few places it is gently rolling. Because of the texture of the 
soil and the gentle sloping surface, the natural drainage is good, 
and there is no serious danger from erosion. 

Origin. —While the field work was in progress some doubt was 
felt as to whether or not this type was in part an old alluvial 
terrace formation, but because of the undulating to gently roll¬ 
ing surface and the fact that sandstone was found outcropping 
at its lower edge along the river bottom, the soil was mapped 
as an upland type and placed in the Bates series. 

No evidence of stratification in the subsoil was found, although 
the soil section has an average depth to the underlying sandstone 
of 15 to 20 feet. 

Native Vegetation. —The original growth of oak on this type 
was more evenly distributed than on the Bates silt loam, and it 
appears that no portion of the type was in the condition of 
prairie. 

Present Agricultural Development. —Practically all of the 
type is now under cultivation, and it is considered a valuable 
soil. Dairying and hog raising is the leading type of farming, 
and this is carried on in conjunction with general farming. Corn 
produces 50 to 55 bushels, oats 35 to 40 bushels, barley about 25 
bushels, and clover 11/2 to 2 tons per acre. For a long period 
wheat was the most important crop grown on this soil and yields 
of 15 to 18 bushels per acre were obtained. The acreage of wheat 
at present is very small. This is a very good corn soil, ranking 
with the Bates and Waukesha silt loams in this respect. It is 
also well adapted to a number of truck crops, but trucking has 
not been developed to any extent. The soil is easy to cultivate. 
About the same methods are followed as on the silt loam. 


DARK COLORED UPLAND SOILS. 


33 


Land of this type sells for $65 to $90 an acre, depending upon 
such factors as location and improvements. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND MANAGEMENT OF DARK COLORED 

UPLAND SOILS 

These dark colored soils are naturally the most fertile soils 
in the area. They are generally well supplied with the essential 
plant food elements and with organic matter which gives them 
their dark color. The total amount of phosphorus in the surface 
8 inches is approximately 1,500 pounds per acre. The total 
potassium is 35,000 pounds, and the nitrogen from 4,500 to 5,500 
pounds per acre 8 inches. Many fields on these soils which have 
been cropped for some time will in all probability be benefited by 
the use of a phosphorus fertilizer in addition to the use of 
manure. 

These soils all show some acidity, although it varies with the 
location and past treatment of particular fields. Where clover 
and alfalfa do not do well the soil should be examined for acid¬ 
ity and if acid an application of 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of ground 
limestone per acre to the sour fields will be found beneficial. 

Lying at lower levels than the upland soils, these soils often 
receive the run-off water from higher land, and level or low spots 
especially need drainage or special methods for taking care of 
storm water. In some cases tile drainage would be beneficial, in 
others surface ditches rightly placed would keep the land dry. 

On account of their level topography and large content of 
organic matter, these soils are especially adapted to corn, hay, 
and other root crops. Grain crops often give large yields, but 
the quality is often not as good as on the lighter colored soils and 
oats and barley often lodge badly on these soils. This character¬ 
istic varies greatly with the character of the season. In case of 
low yields on well drained fields, the use of a phosphate fertilizer 
would hasten the maturity of crops. 


34 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY . 


CHAPTER IV. 

LIGHT COLORED TINE SANDY LOAM SOILS. 

BOONE FINE SANDY LOAM. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Boone fine sandy loam to 
an average depth of 8 to 10 inches consists of a grayish-brown 
fine sandy loam, which in some places contains a considerable 
amount of medium sand. The amount of organic matter present 
is not large, but a slightly acid condition is found to exist over 
most of the type. The subsoil consists of a brown to yellowish- 
brown fine to medium sandy loam, which usually extends to a 
depth of over 3 feet. 

Both soil and subsoil of this type are subject to considerable 
variation, though none of the variations are found of sufficient 
extent or importance to be mapped separately, except the more 
rolling tracts, which are usually shallow. This variation has 
been termed the rolling phase and shown separately on the soil 
map. In smaller sandy areas in the valleys of Bygolly and Little 
Bear Creeks the subsoil is a brown sandy loam, becoming lighter 
m color with depth and containing a few small bits of sandstone. 
Bordering Buffalo River in T. 24, R. 11, in the northern part of 
the county the soil is slightly finer and heavier than usual, vary¬ 
ing from a fine sandy loam to a loam, and often grading into a 
compact sandy clay loam layer at 18 to 24 inches. This heavy 
material is again underlain by a yellow sand at 24 to 40 inches. 
The differences in texture are due in part to the presence of a 
shaly sandstone layer under the soil in places and also to the 
proximity of heavier and higher lying soils from which finer par¬ 
ticles are often washed. Outcrops of sandstone are not uncom¬ 
mon, though they are not extensive and seldom interfere to any 
marked extent with cultivation. The depth to the underlying 
rock is variable, and while it averages considerably over 3 feet, 
there are places on the tops of ridges and on knolls where there 
may be as little as 2 or 3 inches of soil. There are also places 


LIGHT COLORED FINE SANDY LOAM SOILS 


35 


over gently rolling tracts where the soil has a depth of only 2 or 
3 feet, but such areas are not extensive. 

Extent and Distribution .—The Boone fine sandy loam is one of 
the important types in the county, though there are several 
which are more extensive. The largest area occurs in the north¬ 
eastern part of the survey in Naples and Mondovi Townships, 
lying mostly south of the Buffalo River. A number of smaller 
tracts are found in the vicinity of Gilmanton along the slopes 
on the south side of Elk Creek and its two chief branches. Other 
small tracts are scattered throughout the northwestern corner 
of the county, and to a more limited extent through the southern 
part. 

Topography and Drainage .—The surface of the Boone fine 
sandy loam, including the rolling phase, varies from undulating 
to rolling, and in places it becomes quite steep, though there are 
but few small areas where the surface is too steep to prevent the 
growing of the ordinary farm crops. Where the limestone cap 
remains with sandstone outcropping below, a rather steep, nar¬ 
row belt of fine sandy loam following the contour is produced, 
as at the base of the river bluffs at Cochrane and Fountain City. 
Where the limestone covering is thinner, and where more of the 
sandstone is exposed, as in Little Bear Creek and Spring Creek 
Valleys and a few other places, long gently rolling or undulating 
slopes are found, being rather steep or rolling only near the 
limestone ridge. In the largest area in the northeastern part of 
the county, where the limestone capping has been entirely re¬ 
moved, the topography is nearly level in places. The surface 
rises with a gentle gradient up to long, gently rolling slopes, cul¬ 
minating in low, rolling, oak-timbered knolls, which slope away 
again to the next valley. The surface of this soil becomes rolling 
also and even rough in places along the southern edge of the 
area bordering the outliers of the limestone ridges which pro¬ 
ject into this type. South of Gilmanton, bordering Elk Creek 
Valley, is an irregular area of this type covering 3 or 4 square 
miles where the topography varies from gently rolling to rough 
and broken. 

Because of the sandy nature of this type and its absorptive 
capacity it withstands erosion fairly well. On some of the steeper 
slopes, however, and over long, more gentle grades, where the 
run-off from an extensive area converges, there is some danger 
from erosion. 


36 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


On account of the sandy character of the soil and the surface 
features, the natural drainage of this type is excellent. Where 
the soil is shallow and where the slopes are steep the type fre¬ 
quently suffers from lack of sufficient moisture, though as a 
whole it retains moisture fairly well. 

Origin .—The original Boone fine sandy loam is largely resid¬ 
ual, having been derived from the weathering of the Potsdam 
sandstone and from a shaly phase of this formation. On some 
of the slopes it is probable that some of the sandy material has 
been moved short distances down the slope by washing. Where 
there is silty material incorporated with the soil it is probable 
that a part of this has been washed down from higher lying silt 
loam types. Thus it will be seen that the type may also be partly 
of colluvial origin, though this phase is of minor importance. 
In a few places sand dunes have been formed, but these are also 
of small extent. 

Native Vegetation .—The original timber growth consisted 
partly of black and scrub oak covering the shallow knolls and the 
lighter portions of the type. On the heavier portions there was 
some birch and maple. Sumac, hazel brush, poplar, and wild 
cherry form the second growth in uncultivated places. 

Present Agricultural Development .*—By far the greater pro¬ 
portion of the type is put to some form of agricultural use, and 
most of it is cultivated. The wooded portion is confined chiefly 
to the steeper slopes and shallow knolls, which are covered mainly 
with small oak. As is the case with the county as a whole, most 
of the type is devoted to general farming, with dairying as the 
most important branch. In connection with dairying quite a 
number of hogs are raised. The chief crops grown and the 
ordinary yields are as follows: Corn, 40 to 50 bushels; oats, 30 
to 40 bushels; barley, 35 to 40 bushels; and hay from 1 to 2 tons 
per acre. Some rye is also grown and it gives fair yields. On 
some of the level portions of the type some farmers report an 
increasing difficulty in getting a good stand of clover. Others 
on the gently rolling phase report no trouble at all, none having 
been lost in the last seven or eight years. Some very fine stands 
of clover appear on some of. the lighter portions of the type, 
even though the soil showed a slight indication of acidity in 
response to the litmus-paper test. 


*For chemical composition and management see page 41. 



LIGHT COLORED FINE SANDY LOAM SOILS 


37 


When the county was first settled wheat was grown extensively 
on this soil, but very little is now produced. It is considered a 
fair corn soil, and the yields are practically the same as on the 
Boone silt loam. Potatoes can be grown successfully, though the 
acreage is not large. 

The rotation of crops most commonly practiced consists of 
corn, followed by oats or barley, with which clover and timothy 
are seeded. Hay is cut for one or two years, and the field may 
be pastured for a year before being again plowed for corn. 
Cultivation of this soil is not difficult, and a lighter class of 
implements and stock can be used than on the silt loam type. 

The selling price of land of this type is quite variable,'depend¬ 
ing upon location, character of the surface, texture of the soil, 
and improvements. In the area near Mondovi the gently sloping 
and nearly level portions of the type sell for $60 to $100 an acre. 
The rougher places which are more distantly removed from towns 
are held at $40 to $50 an acre. In Little Bear and Spring Creek 
Valleys the price of land of this class ranges from $25 to $50 an 
acre. 

Boone Fine Sandy Loam, Bolling Phase .—The rolling phase of 
the Boone fine sandy loam is separated from the typical soil for 
two reasons. In the first place the topography is more rolling 
than the typical soil and in the second place the depth of the soil 
material to the underlying rock is less than the average for the 
type as a whole. Because of these two conditions the agricultural 
value of the phase is considerably lower than that of the typical 
soil. In fact a considerable proportion of the rolling phase has 
been left wooded because of its lower value. 

In texture the rolling phase is a somewhat lighter fine sandy 
loam than the main portion of the type, and the depth to rock, 
which is mostly the Potsdam sandstone, ranges from 1 foot to 3 
feet. A few rock outcrops occur, but these are not extensive. 
The surface of the phase is nowhere found to be so steep as the 
steep phase of the Knox silt loam, but may be described as con¬ 
sisting of rather low ridges with geptle slopes and as regions 
where the topography is gently rolling to rolling. Some of the 
narrow areas of this type found bordering Knox silt loam or 
Rough stony land have been included with the rolling phase. 

The rolling phase has the same origin as the typical soil and 
the original vegetation is the same. Where this class of land has 
been cleared the yields are lower than usual for the type, the 


38 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


soil is more subject to drought, and as a whole is less desirable 
for farming. That which is now in timber should be allowed to 
remain so, and where cultivated the most careful methods of 
soil management should be practiced in order that the produc¬ 
tivity may be increased. 

PLAINFIELD FINE SANDY LOAM. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Plainfield fine sandy 
loam to an average depth of about 14 inches consists of a reddish- 
brown heavy fine sandy loam. At about 16 to 20 inches the color 
becomes a lighter reddish-brown fine sandy loam, and this grades 
into stratified yellow fine sand at from 24 to 36 inches. Gravel 
occurs in places in the subsoil of this type south of Mondovi. 
While this is about the normal for the type, there are a number 
of variations, and the texture may range from a heavy fine 
sandy loam to a medium, and in a few places a rather coarse 
loamy sand. Some variations in color also occur, these ranging 
from dark brown to nearly black in places. None of the varia¬ 
tions, however, were of sufficient extent to be indicated on the 
soil map. 

Extent and Distribution .—The largest and most important 
area of this type is a long terrace lying between the bluffs and 
the Mississippi River in the vicinity of Cochrane. This belt 
varies in width from one-half to a mile, parallels the river for a 
distance of 6 or 7 miles, and has an elevation above the flood 
plain of 5 to 20 feet. The texture and organic matter content of 
this area vary somewhat, it being more sandy and of a lighter 
color on the side bordering the river than next to the bluffs. The 
soil occurs also as a narrow belt occupying a terrace bordering 
the Buffalo River in the northeastern part of the county. A few 
smaller tracts are found in various stream valleys throughout the 
county. 

Topography and Drainage .—The Plainfield fine sandy loam is 
a terrace soil and the surface is usually level or slopes gently 
toward the streams along which it occurs. There are a few 
places, however, where the surface is undulating or even gently 
rolling, though such tracts are of small extent. On the whole 
the type has good drainage, but there are a few places where the 
surface is lower than usual and in these there is an excess of 
moisture during part of the year. On the other hand, some of the 


LIGHT COLORED FINE SANDY LOAM SOILS 


39 


lighter textured higher places are apt to suffer at times from 
drought. 

Origin .—This is largely an alluvial soil, the materials having 
been deposited by the streams when flowing at a much higher 
level than at present. It is noncalcareous and the type is now 
slightly acid. 

Native Vegetation .—A forest, largely oak, with some elm and 
soft maple in the lower places, originally grew on this soil. The 
growth was rather open, with grass among the trees. Some por¬ 
tions of the type were originally in a semiprairie condition. 

Present Agricultural Development A —By far the greater pro¬ 
portion of the Plainfield fine sandy loam is under cultivation. It 
is considered a good farming soil. The chief crop grown is corn, 
which yields 45 to 50 bushels an acre. Oats yield 35 to 40 
bushels an acre and barley about 30 bushels. A small acreage of 
wheat is grown and yields of 20 to 25 bushels an acre are 
obtained. The yields given above are for the average develop¬ 
ment of the type. On the more sandy tracts they are somewhat 
lower, and on the areas of heavier texture they are higher than 
indicated. This is especially true of corn. Timothy and clover 
are grown and alfalfa has been tried, but not extensively. Pota¬ 
toes do well on this class of soil, and it would seem that this crop 
could well be grown more extensively. 

Land of this type sells for $35 to $40 an acre, depending upon 
location, improvements, etc. 

LINTONIA FINE SANDY LOAM. 

The surface soil of the Lintonia fine sandy loam consists of 10 
inches of light-brown or grayish-brown fine sandy loam which 
contains only a comparatively small amount of organic matter 
and which is acid in some places. The subsoil is a yellowish- 
brown, compact fine sandy loam to a depth of 24 to 30 inches, 
where the texture and color usually become lighter. In a few 
instances a layer of compact clay loam was found at 24 inches. 
This lighter material, which would be classed as a loamy fine 
sand in most instances, extends to 36 or 40 inches or even deeper, 
where stratified fine sand is usually found. The terraces upon 
which-this soil is found are often 25 to 30 feet high, and in such 
places this stratified material extends at least to this depth. 


*For chemical composition and management see page 41. 



40 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


The soil is somewhat variable in texture and in some places, 
especially on the higher elevations, the surface material is a 
loamy fine sand. In its texture the type is quite similar to the 
Boone fine sandy loam, and it is subject to about the same varia¬ 
tions. 

The Lintonia fine sandy loam is of limited extent and occupies 
only 6.1 square miles. The largest areas are those bordering the 
Buffalo River south of Mondovi and along the south side of Far¬ 
rington Creek west of this place. There is also some of the type 
in Kammuler Valley north of Fountain City. Small tracts occur 
in various other places in the county. 

The surface of this type is level or gently sloping toward the 
stream channel along which it occurs. The terrace which the 
type occupies has the same position and drainage conditions as 
the terraces of Lintonia silt loam, and this soil is subject to the 
same danger from erosion. The material composing the soil is 
also of the same origin, having been deposited when the waters 
were flowing at a much higher level than at present. 

The original timber was chiefly scattered oak, but practically 
all of this has been removed, except where erosion has rendered 
the land unfit for cultivated crops. 

The greater proportion of this type is under cultivation. It 
appears that the crop returns are somewhat better from the 
small areas of this soil in the small valleys than from the larger 
tracts found in the valley of the Buffalo River. Practically all 
of the crops common to the region are grown on this soil. Corn 
yields 30 to 50 bushels; oats, 25 to 40 bushels; barley, 25 to 30 
bushels; and clover, 1 ton to 1 y 2 tons an acre. While the soil 
was frequently found to be in an acid condition by the litmus- 
paper test, no difficulty was reported by the farmers in getting 
a stand of clover, except during dry years. Rye is grown, but 
not so extensively as oats or barley. Fairly good yields are 
obtained. During ordinary seasons good crops of corn and fair 
crops of hay are always had. When the rainfall is scanty, how¬ 
ever, the soil suffers from the lack of moisture and crop yields are 
reduced to a greater extent than on soils of heavier texture. 

The rotation most commonly followed consists of corn, small 
grain, and hay. Potatoes might be added to this list. The type 
is also well suited to small fruits, strawberries, and a number 
of truck crops. 


LIGHT COLORED FINE SANDY LOAM SOILS 


41 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT COLORED FINE 

SANDY LOAM SOILS. 

The chemical analysis of the soils of this group shows them to 
be intermediate in chemical composition as well as in texture and 
value between the light colored heavy upland soils and the light 
sandy soil group. The total amount of phosphorus in the sur¬ 
face 8 inches is about 800 pounds per acre, of potassium about 
20,000 pounds, and of nitrogen from 1200 to 1600 pounds. 

Varying degrees of acidity are found on these soils and where 
best results are not obtained with clover and alfalfa, it will be 
advisable to apply 1500 to 2000 pounds of ground limestone per 
acre. 

In improving these soils it is necessary first to see that the 
supply of organic matter is increased. This may be accomplished 
by growing green manuring crops of which the legumes are 
best—such as clover, the second crop of which should be plowed 
under before ripening. The supply of stable manure is often 
too limited and mineral fertilizers in addition to green manuring 
crops will be found to increase crops in such cases. Phosphorus 
in the form of acid phosphate applied at the rate of 300 pounds 
per acre once in 3 or 4 years will supply the plant food needed. 
By applying phosphorus and lime any trouble with clover or 
alfalfa should be overcome and when once these crops are suc¬ 
cessfully growing the greatest difficulty in building up soil has 
been overcome. 

These soils are adapted to a variety of crops. Corn and small 
grains do very well but dry weather often injures crops such as 
grass and clover on these soils more than on the deeper and 
heavier soils. They are also adapted to potatoes and other truck 
and garden crops. A rotation which gives good results con¬ 
sists of small grain, followed by clover—the first crop for hay and 
the second plowed under. Next year corn or potatoes are grown. 
When the organic matter content has been sufficiently increased 
or when there is plenty of manure, the second clover crop can 
be cut for hay or ripened for seed. 


42 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


CHAPTER V. 

GROUP OF LIGHT COLORED FINE SANDS AND SANDS. 

LINTONIA FINE SAND. 

The surface soil of the Lintonia fine sand consists of a light- 
gray or yellowish loose fine sand extending to a depth of about 
8 inches. This is underlain by a yellow loose fine sand which ex¬ 
tends to a depth below the reach of the soil auger. In texture, 
structure, and color this type is quite similar to the Boone fine 
sand, but differs from that type in origin and topography. Like 
the Boone fine sand, it contains only a very small amount of 
organic matter and is in an acid condition. 

The Lintonia fine sand is of very small extent and minor im¬ 
portance in the present survey. It covers only 1 square mile, 
the largest area occurring in the northeastern part of the county 
along the south side of the Buffalo River. It occupies a ter¬ 
race position between the present flood plain and areas of Boone 
fine sand. 

The surface of this type is nearly level to gently undulating, 
with a gradual slope toward the Buffalo River. On account of 
the loose structure the natural drainage is excessive and the soil 
is droughty. While the type occupies a position above the pres¬ 
ent flood plain, the elevation is never so great as that of the other 
types of this series, which also occur as terrace soils. 

As indicated above, the type occupies a low terrace and the 
material composing it is of alluvial origin. Possibly a small 
amount of material has also been washed down from the higher 
land adjoining, but the proportion of the type that is of colluvial 
origin is small. 

The original timber was chiefly oak, but the growth was rather 
scattering. 

At present nearly all of the type is under cultivation, and 
most of the crops common to the region are grown. Yields are 


GROUP OF LIGHT SANDS AND FINE SANDS 


43 


low, however, and the soil can only be worked profitably under 
the best methods of soil management.* 

BOONE FINE SAND 

The surface soil of the Boone fine sand consists of a brown to 
yellowish-brown or grayish-brown fine to medium sand extend¬ 
ing to an average depth of about 8 inches. This is underlain by 
a fine sand of a lighter yellow color than the surface, extending 
to a depth considerably below 3 feet. The amount of organic 
matter present is very low. There is some variation in the tex¬ 
ture of both soil and subsoil and portions of the type might be 
classed as medium sand, but as the type is inextensive and as 
the fine sand seemed to predominate it was considered advisable 
to include all of the material in one type. In section 19 and 
vicinity in Manville Township the soil is slightly heavier than 
typical. A portion of it is also somewhat loamy, and as a result 
more productive than the typical soil. 

The largest area of this soil, covering about 3!/2 or 4 square 
miles, occurs in Spring Creek Valley, in T. 24, R. 13. Most of 
the medium sand was found in this region. South of Mondovi 
and along the south side of the Buffalo River wind-blown areas 
occur. A few other patches of small extent are found associated 
with the Boone fine sandy loam in the northern part of the 
county. 

The surface of this type varies from very gently undulating 
to gently rolling. There are a few low ridges and some low sand 
dunes, and where the type borders Rough stony land or other 
types occupying the steep slopes, the surface near the boundary 
frequently has considerable slope. On account of the surface 
features and the loose, open character of both soil and subsoil, 
the natural drainage is excessive and the type is droughty. 
None of the slopes is sufficiently steep to make the prevention of 
erosion an important factor in the management of this soil. 

In origin the Boone fine sand is largely residual, having been 
derived from the weathering of Potsdam sandstone. There is 
but little organic matter present and such a small amount of 
silt and clay that the loose surface material is readily blown by 
the wind, and in a number of places low sand dunes have been 


*For chemical composition and management see page 48. 



44 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


formed. The material composing the type is in an acid condi¬ 
tion, as indicated by the litmus-paper test. 

The original timber growth on this type consisted chiefly of 
scattered scrubby oak. Coarse grasses and sand burs are also 
found growing on the type, though there are a number of places 
where the surface is bare of vegetation and the soil is now drift¬ 
ing. 

On account of its loose, open character and the resulting 
droughty condition, its low content of organic matter, and the 
fact that, it is subject to drifting in places, this soil has a low agri¬ 
cultural value. While most of it is cleared, there is a consider¬ 
able proportion which is not farmed because of the small yields. 
Corn produces 20 bushels per acre where the rainfall is well dis¬ 
tributed, but the crop if often a failure. Rye produces 8 to 12 
bushels, and buckwheat 10 to 12 bushels an acre. Grass and 
clover are not successfully grown, and the coarse, wild grasses 
supply little pasturage. Potatoes are not grown extensively, and 
the yields are small. A portion of the type in section 19, Man- 
ville Township, is better than the average. Here corn frequently 
produces 30 bushels and buckwheat as much as 30 bushels an 
acre during favorable years. # 

The selling price of most of the land of this type ranges from 
$10 to $15 an acre. The heavy phase, indicated above, has a 
somewhat higher value. 

WAUKESHA GRAVELLY SANDY LOAM. 

The type mapped as Waukesha gravelly sandy loam is of very 
small extent and of minor importance in the present survey. It 
occurs in two separate tracts which have a somewhat different 
texture. That just northwest of Cochrane has a surface soil 
which consists of 12 to 16 inches of black or dark-brown loam. 
This contains a considerable quantity of coarse, rounded sand 
particles, and in a number of places the surface soil is a sandy 
loam. There is usually sufficient clay present to make the soil 
sticky when wet. The subsoil consists of a yellowish sandy loam 
to about 24 to 30 inches, where rounded, rather fine gravel is en¬ 
countered. This bed of stratified gravel and coarse sand is com¬ 
pact and difficult to penetrate with the soil auger. 


*For chemical composition and management see page 48. 



GROUP OF LIGHT SANDS AND FINE SANDS 


45 


The second area is found on the terrace near Nelson. The 
texture of the soil here is somewhat more silty than that of the 
first mentioned area, though here also the soil varies to a coarse 
sandy loam, and in a few places a coarse loamy sand appears at 
the surface. This area is also underlain by stratified gravel. 
In a few localities this fine gravel outcrops, and there is consider¬ 
able gravel scattered over the surface in such places. The sur¬ 
face soil is in an acid condition, as indicated by the litmus-paper 
test. 

The surface of the type is level or very gently sloping. On 
account of the underlying sand and gravel beds the drainage is 
thorough, sometimes excessive, and, except where the covering 
over the gravel is deeper than usual, the type is inclined to be 
droughty during dry periods. 

The type is a terrace soil situated well above the present flood 
plain. Portions of it appear to lie in an abandoned stream chan¬ 
nel, later filled by sediment and now having the same elevation 
as the remainder of the terrace. In such places the gravel is 
as much as 4 feet below the surface. 

The Waukesha gravelly sandy loam is a prairie soil, the native 
growth consisting chiefly of grasses. 

At present the greater part of it is under cultivation, and dur¬ 
ing favorable years as much as 40 to 50 bushels of corn are grown 
per acre. Oats may yield 30 to 40 bushels and hay 1 ton to iy 2 
tons per acre. During dry seasons, however, the yields are con¬ 
siderably lower and crops frequently suffer greatly from lack 
of moisture. 


PLAINFIELD FINE SAND 

The surface soil of the Plainfield fine sand to an average depth 
of about 10 inches consists of a dark-gray to dark-brown fine 
sand having a loose structure and a comparatively low content 
of organic matter. Litmus-paper tests indicate that the soil is 
acid. The subsoil consists of a fine to medium sand, which be¬ 
comes lighter in color and grades into stratified sand in the lower 
subsoil. There is some variation in the texture and some of the 
material included with this type could be classed as a medium 
sand if the areas were of sufficient extent. 

The type is of small extent and of minor importance. The 
largest areas are found in Spring Creek and Little Bear Valleys. 


46 SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY . 

The soil in Spring Creek Valley is somewhat coarser in texture 
than typical. In the vicinity of Waumandee there is also a 
small amount of this soil, and here the type is better than the 
average, having a finer texture and containing enough silt arid 
clay to make it slightly loamy. 

Generally the surface of the type is level or slopes gently 
toward the streams. In a few places there is a billowy topog¬ 
raphy, and small undulations are common. These, are doubt¬ 
less due to the action of the wind. On account of the loose, open 
structure of the material, the natural drainage is excessive. 
There are some portions of the type where erosion has cut rather 
deep channels, especially on the gently sloping terraces in Little 
Bear Valley. 

Areas of this type occur within valleys of streams which head 
within the driftless region, and there is no glacial material, even 
in the stratified subsoil. The sand was doubtless derived from 
Potsdam sandstone and later carried down the slopes by the ac¬ 
tion of water and deposited by stream action when the volume 
of water was much greater than it is at present, and when the 
streams were running at a much higher level. 

The original growth on the Plainfield fine sand consisted 
chiefly of a few scattering scrub oak and some prairie grass. 

A relatively large proportion of this soil is under cultivation, 
but it is doubtful if the average crop is profitable under present 
conditions of farming. Corn is grown to some extent, but the 
yields are low. Probably the average is not over 15 bushels per 
acre. During dry years the crops usually fail. Rye, which is 
grown more extensively than other small grains, usually yields 
about 8 to 12 bushels per acre. Buckwheat yields 10 to 12 bush¬ 
els per acre. Clover and the grasses do not thrive and the pas¬ 
turage is of little value except early in the season. Potatoes are 
of fairly good quality, but yields are small. This type is low in 
organic matter, and in order that farming operations may be 
profitable the most careful methods of soil and farm management 
are necessary.* 

Land of this type sells for $10 to $20 an acre. Farm buildings 
are usually inferior and fences and other improvements in poor 
condition. 


*For chemical composition and management of this soil see page 48. 



GROUP OF LIGHT SANDS AND FINE SANDS 47 

PLAINFIELD SAND. 

The surface soil of the Plainfield sand to an average depth of 
about 12 to 14 inches consists of a fairly loose, brown to dark- 
brown loamy sand of medium texture. There is a considerable 
amount of fine sand mixed with the medium sand in places, and 
in such places the soil might be classed as a fine sand if of suf¬ 
ficient extent. Litmus-paper tests indicate that the soil is acid. 
The subsoil consists of a lighter brown medium sand which gradu¬ 
ally becomes a yellow sand at from 28 to 36 inches. The deep 
subsoil consists of stratified sand in which varying amounts of 
gravel may be found. As a rule the soil next to the bluffs is 
darker and slightly heavier than that close to the river. 

The largest area of this type mapped in the present survey oc¬ 
curs as a narrow terrace along the Chippewa River Valley in 
the northwestern part of the county. This terrace ranges in 
width from one-eighth to one-half mile, and has a length of over 
10 miles and an elevation above the flood plain of the river of 20 
to 50 feet or more. The rise from the flood plain is quite abrupt 
in most places. At the mouth of Big Waumandee Creek there is 
a terrace of the same soil about 4 miles long and in its widest 
place about three-fourths of a mile across. None of this type is 
found outside of the Mississippi and Chippewa Valleys. 

The terrace occupied by this soil has the same position as that 
occupied by the La Crosse fine sandy loam, and the surface is 
usually level or gently sloping toward the streams. In places 
there is an undulating or billowy topography, where the wind 
apparently has altered the original surface features to a slight 
extent. On account of the loose, open structure of the material 
the type is excessively drained and subject to drought. 

Being of a terrace formation, the type is alluvial in origin, the 
material having been deposited by the Mississippi River during 
the glacial period, when the volume of water carried by that 
stream was much greater than at the present time. A small 
quantity of gravel is mixed with the sand in the low ei sections, 
and this gravel is doubtless of glacial origin, as is also a part of 
the sandy material. 

The greater proportion of this type was originally in the con¬ 
dition of a prairie, with only a few scattered sciubby oaks. 
Prairie grass was the most common growth, though this was not 

heavy. 


48 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


More than half the area of the Plainfield sand is under culti¬ 
vation, although as a whole it must be considered of rather low 
agricultural value. During the most favorable years, when the 
rainfall is well distributed, fair crops are obtained, but usually, 
owing to the lack of moisture and of plant food, the ordinary 
yields are not satisfactory. That part of the type immediately 
along the bluffs has probably been influenced to some extent by 
the wash from the heavier upland soils, and for a short distance 
from the bluffs yields are usually better than along the outer 
margin of the type. Some areas are uncultivated practically all 
of the time, because of their extremely sandy nature and con¬ 
sequent low productiveness. On some fields a crop is grown 
every second year and the ground fallowed in alternate years. 

On this type rye is an important crop and yields of 20 to 25 
bushels per acre are common during the most favorable years. 
Corn yields 25 to 40 bushels per acre under the most favorable 
conditions, but the ordinary yields are far below these figures. 
Buckwheat is grown to some extent. Clover can be grown suc¬ 
cessfully only on the lower, darker portions of the type, and 
even here the yields are not large. Potatoes do fairly well, but 
only a few are grown for market. 

The selling price of land of this type ranges from $10 to $40 
an acre, depending upon location, improvements, etc. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND MANAGEMENT OF SANDS AND FINE 

SANDS. 

On chemical composition these sandy soils show much less of 
the important plant food elements than do the upland silt loam 
soils of this county. The total phosphorus in the surface 8 inches 
averages 700 to 800 pounds per acre, while the amount of po¬ 
tassium is about 16,000 pounds in an acre inches. The organic 
matter in these soils is about half that in the Knox silt loam 
and less than one third of that in the dark prairie soils of the 
state. 

Since Potsdam sandstone is the chief source of essentially all 
of these soils, they are low in lime carbonate, except in a few 
places where the sand occurs at a lower level than the beds of 
limestone, and thus receives a small amount of lime carbonate in 
the water from the higher slopes. The surface soil of all these 
types is acid, and will require lime. While these soils are defi- 


GROUP OF LIGHT SANDS AND FINE SANDS 


49 


cient in all of the important elements, they have certain advan¬ 
tages for special crops, and it is possible to profitably supplement 
their natural supply of plant food material by the use of fertil¬ 
izers. All systems of farming on such land should be planned in 
such a way as either to conserve its natural fertility, or supply 
it by the use of commercial fertilizers. 

The most important differences between these sandy types of 
soils and heavier classes, such as silt loams and clay loams, how¬ 
ever, are not of a chemical nature, but of a physical nature, hav¬ 
ing to do with their water holding capacity, drainage, tillage, 
etc. Suggestions for the improvement of these types are based 
upon field experiments, chemical and mechanical analyses, and 
upon studies and observations covering a variety of sandy soils. 

In the management of these sandy soils it should be kept in 
mind that they are naturally low in organic matter and in the 
mineral elements required, the water holding capacity is poor 
and the soil is acid. As all of the types in this group are in an 
acid condition they would be greatly benefited by the application 
of lime. 

When the amount of organic matter or humus forming mate¬ 
rial in the soil is increased, the water holding capacity is also 
increased. The humus forming material can best be increased 
by applying stable manure and by plowing under legumes as 
green manure. Of the legumes red and mammoth clover are 
perhaps better adapted to sandy soils than any of the others, 
but neither of these nor alfalfa will make the most satisfactory 
growth until the acid condition is corrected. The mineral ele¬ 
ments required may be supplied by the use of commercial fertil¬ 
izers. 

When a soil can be made to produce a fair crop of clover, with¬ 
out an excessive expenditure, that soil can be successfully and 
profitably improved. It is therefore important that the first 
efforts in building up a soil should be directed toward the estab¬ 
lishing of conditions which will be favorable for the growth of 
clover. 

From experiments conducted it seems advisable to sow clover 
without a nurse crop, where the fertility of the soil is very low, 
since it will then have all of the moisture in the sand for its own 
growth. There is also some danger of the young plants being 
damaged by the hot sun when the nurse crop is removed. The 
field intended for clover should be plowed in the fall, or as 


50 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


early as possible in the spring, and a top dressing of ground 
limestone applied at the rate of 2,000 pounds per acre. The 
field should be harrowed at short intervals to kill all weeds, and 
this harrowing should be kept up until about the middle of May. 
Fifteen pounds of seed per acre should be sown and covered to 
a depth of iy 2 to 2 inches. The seeding should be followed by 
a roller to compact the soil around the seed, and the roller should 
be followed by a light harrow to roughen and loosen the im¬ 
mediate surface to check evaporation and blowing of sand by 
the wind, or a corrugated roller can be used to do the work of 
both. Where it can be secured a top dressing of well rotted 
manure should be applied before the last harrowing. If ma¬ 
nure is not available about 300 pounds of acid phosphate or 
ground steamed bone-meal and 100 pounds of muriate of potash 
should be applied at the time of seeding to clover. If only a 
small amount of manure is available it may be supplemented by 
ground rock phosphate, and this can be sprinkled over the ma¬ 
nure in the spreader and applied-at the same time. 

Peat may often be used to advantage as a fertilizer if peat 
marshes are close at hand. It contains a high percentage of 
nitrogen, but should be supplemented by potash and phosphate 
fertilizers, as it is deficient in these elements. The use of a light 
application of manure will assist in making the nitrogen of the 
peat become available to plants. 

Late in the summer it may be necessary to clip the weeds 
which are sure to come. The cutting bar should be run high 
and the clipping left on the field as a mulch. The second year 
the first crop should be cut for hay and the second crop plowed 
under as green manure to prepare the land for a cultivated crop. 
After the first application, ground limestone should be applied 
at the rate of about 1,000 pounds per acre once during every 
rotation. The amount of commercial fertilizers containing phos¬ 
phorus and potash which should be subsequently applied will 
depend on the crops to be grown and especially on the amount 
of manure produced on the farm. 

Soybeans or yellow lupine or spring vetch may be grown on 
sandy soils and if plowed under they furnish organic matter 
and nitrogen to the soil. When the soil has been built up, a 
nurse crop may be used in seeding clover and other legumes to 
better advantage than when the soil is run down and poor. 



GROUP OF LIGHT SANDS AND FINE SANDS 


51 


A three, four, or five year rotation may be followed. If but 
little stock is kept, a three year rotation consisting of a cultivated 
crop of corn or potatoes followed by rye or oats and clover the 
third year works well. The second crop of clover should be 
plowed under. If manure is scarce, acid phosphate and potash 
must be applied in addition to green manuring crops to keep up 
the fertility of sandy soils. If considerable stock is kept the 
rotation can be increased to four years using the clover field 
one year for pasture before plowing up. The manure applied 
in the winter or early spring of the year the clover is pastured 
increases the value of the pasture and benefits the next crop. 
The silo should be used to supplement pasture on sandy soil. 

In a five year rotation alfalfa, may be introduced, but this 
requires that considerable stock be kept, since none of the alfalfa 
should be sold. The field should be left in alfalfa for three years 
with two years given to cultivated crops and grain. Manure 
should be applied to the cultivated crop and also to the first year 
of alfalfa. This system is very desirable except that it does not 
provide any pasture. To overcome this the farm may be divided 
and both the four and the five year rotation practiced. Alfalfa 
may also be grown by itself and kept on the same field year after 
year, in which case its place in the rotation should be filled by 
clover. When the alfalfa begins to run out, the field should be 
reseeded. 

In the cultivation of the sandy soils fall plowing for rye, and 
spring plowing for all other crops, is the usual practice. The 
seed bed should be prepared to a depth of at least 8 inches and 
organic matter should be worked in deeply as well as near the 
surface to increase the water-holding capacity and to induce a 
deeper development of the roots. When the land is plowed in 
the spring it is often advisable to pack the soil with a roller, but 
this should be followed by a light harrow to secure a mulch on 
the surface. Where the fields are exposed, and the soil is blown 
by the wind, an effort should be made to prevent damage from 
this source. The most effective plan is to lay out the land in 
long narrow fields so as to have crops that cover the ground in 
the early spring, such as clover and rye, alternate with the culti¬ 
vated ground. 

With the successful growing of clover and possibly alfalfa, 
the dairy industry may be developed to a much greater extent 
than at present. By plowing under a crop of clover every few 


52 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


years and by following a definite rotation and approved meth¬ 
ods, the yields of potatoes will be greatly increased; and this 
crop may well be depended upon as one of the chief sources of 
income for the sandy soils of the area. Beans, peas, sweet corn, 
etc., could be profitably grown to a much greater extent, and the 
trucking industry should be extended where arrangements can 
be made for marketing. The soil warms up early and is well 
suited to cucumbers, strawberries, and all quick maturing 
vegetables. 


MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL 


53 


CHAPTER VI. 

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL. 


ROUGH STONY LAND. 

Rough stony land includes rock exposures, cliffs, and land 
which is too steep and rough to plow or cultivate profitably. It 
may be considered nonagricultural, as it is of value only for the 
small amount of timber and pasture which it supplies. 

This type occupies a large part of the steep walls bordering 
the valleys and forms a border between the valley bottoms and 
the high land of the ridges. The type is developed as narrow 
bands, many miles in extent, winding in and out of the valleys 
and coves, but confined to the steepest slopes. A part of the type 
occurs as narrow ridges upon which areas of soil too small to be 
mapped are sometimes found. The bluffs and cliffs are highest 
along the western portion of the county, and frequently reach an 
elevation of 450 to 500 feet above the valley bottoms there. The 
ridge tops are also wider here than elsewhere, and range in 
width from one-half to 1 mile, while in the interior of the county 
and along the eastern portion the valleys ramify more exten¬ 
sively, the ridge tops are narrower, and the steep valley walls 
are not so high. The elevation of the ridge tops ranges from 
150 to 250 feet above the valley floor throughout most of the 
interior of the county. 

Rough stony land is quite uniformly distributed throughout 
the upland portion of the county and is intimately associated 
with Knox silt loam and the steep phase of that type. Wherever 
there are a few inches of soil it is usually a silt loam, though there 
are exceptions to this in the region of sandstone rocks where the 
soil is sandy. The greater proportion of the rock exposed con¬ 
sists of lower Magnesian limestone, though there is also consid¬ 
erable Potsdam sandstone exposed directly below the limestone. 


54 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


The forest growth consists of white oak, red oak, hickory, and 
a few birch and elm trees. The best of the timber has been re¬ 
moved and the remainder serves to protect the slopes from wash¬ 
ing. 

The inclusion of Rough stony land in farms reduces the value 
of better land and it renders the fields and farms on the ridges 
less accessible. It makes hauling to market difficult, as many of 
the roads from the valleys to the upland cross steep strips of 
this class of land. 


THE GENESEE SOILS. 

This series of soils includes all material deposited in the pres¬ 
ent flood plains of the Mississippi and Chippewa Rivers which 
border the county on the west and north, and of the lower part 
of Buffalo River in the center of the county. Owing to the mixed 
nature of the material and difficulty in seeing much of it, the 
separation of types on the floodplains is not done in a strictly de¬ 
tailed manner, the main object being to separate the sandy soils 
from the heavier ones. 

GENESEE FINE SANDY LOAM 

This type includes all the sandy material of the floodplains 
above mentioned. Much of the soil which is a fine sandy loam 
consists of 6 to 10 inches of compact dark brown fine sandy loam 
on yellowish brown fine sandy loam or fine sand. Layers of 
medium or coarse sand often occur in the subsoil at varying 
depths. Considerable variations in the texture of this type 
occur. Chocolate brown fine sandy loam or loam soil often bor¬ 
ders the banks of the sloughs or sand knolls and ridges occur 
with intervening swales and low spots of heavier loam or silt 
loam soil on sand. This type of soil follows the channels of the 
Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers and the sloughs connected with 
them all along the north and west sides of the county, occupying 
a considerable portion of the 32,000 acres of flood plain land in 
the county. Some of thte islands in the Mississippi River are 
mere banks or flats of sand built up by the river, others are 
sandy around the edges with heavier soil in the interior. Con¬ 
siderable amounts of the more sandy phase are included also 


MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL 


55 


in Sections 12, 13, 24, and 25 east and north of Maxwell Station. 

The Genesee soils lie upon a low level to flat irregularly wooded 
plain cut by sloughs and old stream channels. Some of the sandy 
knolls are more elevated, the t} T pe lying from 1 to 10 feet above 
normal water stage. Some of the higher sandy knolls are seldom 
if ever flooded but most of the bottom land is subject to flooding 
especially in spring. Occasionally as much as 6 or 8 feet of water 
has covered the bottoms. Floods are less frequent since the dis¬ 
continuance of logging operations and dams on the sloughs. In 
general the highest elevations occur along sloughs and along the 
rivers. 

The soil material has been deposited in the valley bottoms by 
the more recent floods of the rivers and is largely derived from 
glacial material brought down by the streams from farther north 
and east. 

In the lower portions and bordering the sloughs the soil is 
timbered, often quite heavily, to elm, oak, birch, and soft maple 
or birch and willow brush. More elevated or sandy portions 
subject to considerable drying out at times, have scattered oak 
and in some cases a semi-prairie condition with red-top grass and 
scattered oaks, is found. 

Some small patches of the soil have been under cultivation and 
very good yields obtained. Most of the soil cannot be used and 
serves only as a pasture land and furnishes some hay. The 
higher sandy portions which are cultivated in one or two places, 
produce good rye, potatoes, or corn, but in dry seasons are sub¬ 
ject to drought due to the open sandy subsoil which prevents 
capillary rise of water. Less elevated portions of the soil which 
are also somewhat finer are reported to have produced as much 
as 60 bushels of corn, 250 bushels of potatoes, and 60 bushels of 
oats per acre in favorable seasons. These yields cannot be 
depended upon because these lower portions of the soil type are 
often subject to overflow. 

Low Phase Genesee Fine Sandy Loam .—Within the area of fine 
sandy loam (largely wooded) are included low open areas of 
overflow land which are covered with water most of the time. 
The vegetation consists of reeds, sweet flag, and generally coarser 
marsh grasses. Where such areas are extensive they have been 
separated out as low phase of the fine sandy loam. 

The soil on such overflow areas is generally heavier than that 
on the wooded portions and varies greatly in depth and texture. 


56 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


The soil is generally a grayish drab or mottled brown loam on a 
sandy loam subsoil. The surface heavy layer is often only 2 to 
8 inches deep, but may be as much as 3 feet deep in the larger 
open areas. Coarse sand layers may be found in the subsoil in 
shallow places and bluish sticky clay layers are also found where 
the soil is deeper. In Section 1 southwest of Nelson, the soil of 
this phase is a mealy chocolate-brown loamy material containing 
much organic matter, fine silt, and coarse sand grains. This is 
6 to 10 inches deep on dark brown sandy loam. 

None of this phase of the soil has ever been cultivated and 
it now has little agricultural use, the amount of hay cut on it 
being limited because of the generally coarse nature of the 
grasses which grow on most of these low areas. 

GENESEE SILT LOAM. 

This is a compact mealy chocolate-brown silt loam becoming 
lighter brown in color at 8 to 12 inches. Fine and very fine sand 
particles are found in the subsoil in increasing amounts until 
at about 16 to 20 inches the soil often becomes a fine sandy loam 
with yellowish brown sandy loam at 20 to 30 inches. The depth 
of surface soil varies from 8 to 30 inches. In low wet marshy 
places the soil is a grayish or bluish mottled color with a sticky 
clay loam subsoil underlaid at greater depth by sandy loam 
material. 

This type covers about 17 square miles of the bottom lands 
from Alma north along the Mississippi and Chippewa Rivers. 

The surface is level with some small knolls and is cut by old 
sloughs and drainage courses or slightly lower marshy areas. 
The elevations are greatest near the larger streams and the best 
drained areas border the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. 

Like the other Genesee types the soil was deposited by over¬ 
flow waters of the rivers and is still subject to overflow in time 
of high water. 

The vegetation consists of heavy timber composed largely of 
big trees. Elm, soft maple, oak, and cotton wood are interspersed 
with more open glades covered with a dense growth of tall blue 
joint grass. Lower more continually flooded marshy areas are 
covered with coarser grasses, reeds, and sweet flags as well as 
patches of brush-alder, willow, and birch. 


MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL 


57 


Outside of pasture land and the cutting of blue joint hay, very 
little agricultural use is made of the soil at present. Farms have 
been started at a number of places, but the almost annual floe 
ing and uncertainty of crop yields has led to their partial or 
complete abandonment in most cases. The soil material is highly 
fertile and in favorable seasons excellent yields of corn, small 
grain, potatoes, and tame hay have been produced. Drainage 
would require expensive dikes or levees to keep-off floods, but if 
its drainage could be accomplished this soil would make excellent 
farm land. 


GENESEE SILTY CLAY LOAM 

This is a dark brown sticky silty clay loam on medium to fine 
sandy loam. The depth of heavy surface soil varies from 8 to 30 
inches or more. The deepest dark brown surface layer occurs on 
the higher portions near the streams. Grayish or mottled brown 
silty clay loam with blue clay subsoil at 18 to 24 inches is found in 
the lower open marshy areas near the main land. As with the 
other Genesee types, this soil type is not entirely uniform and 
includes some soil of lighter texture. A sticky brown or mottled 
loam or sandy loam on a sandy loam subsoil occurs in places, 
especially along the immediate banks of the sloughs. 

The silty clay loam covers about 8 square miles of the bottoms 
from Fountain City south to Marshland. 

The topography is level with slight knolls or slightly elevated 
areas interspersed with lower wet areas. In dry years with low 
water, some of the more elevated portions have sufficient drainage 
for cultivation. The lower marshy portions and all of the type 
in times of high water is too wet to cultivate and drainage by 
diking ditches and probably pumping are necessary to make the 
land available for continued farming. 

The soil is an alluvial deposit laid down in more quiet water 
than that in which the coarser soils to the north were deposited. 

As in the case of the silt loam, the soil is partly timbered with 
large elm, oak, soft maple, basswood, and birch trees. Tall blue 
joint grass grows among the more scattered trees. Much of the 
soil is in a marshy condition and coarse grasses and sweet flags 
cover these portions with scattered clumps of birch and willow 
tree brush. 


58 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


In the southwest corner of the county a part of this type of soil 
has been protected from overflow and partially drained by 
straightening the channel of the Trempealeau River by closing 
some of the sloughs and dredging a main ditch through the area. 
Crops consist mainly of corn, hay, and some potatoes. Only the 
higher knolls are cultivated, hay being cut on the lower portions. 
The soil is fertile material and when well drained produces very 
good yields. 

WABASH LOAM. 

The Wabash loam where typically developed consists of a 
black loam surface soil extending to a depth of 12 to 16 inches, 
underlain by drab or grayish loam or silt loam which, in the 
lower subsoil, grades into sandy material. As found in this 
county, however, the type is quite variable and there is a consid¬ 
erable proportion which does not conform closely with this 
description. In a number of places the surface soil contains vary¬ 
ing quantities of fine and very fine sand, and in such places the 
color is usually lighter than where the texture is a loam or silt 
loam. In a number of places the subsoil is darker than the pres¬ 
ent surface soil, owing to the fact that the original black surface 
has been covered by wash of lighter colored material from the 
adjoining slopes. Frequently large amounts of sand and frag¬ 
ments of limestone have been washed out over the soil from the 
tributary valleys and ravines and the variations which result 
from such conditions could not be indicated. The material com¬ 
posing the type, however, is better adapted to agricultural devel¬ 
opment than most of the Genessee Series and was therefore sep¬ 
arated from that series. 

The Wabash loam is found most extensively along the Buffalo 
and Trempealeau Rivers and Big and Little Waumandee Creeks 
and some of their tributaries. It occupies narrow strips along 
these streams and is the lowest land in the bottoms. The surface 
usually has a gentle slope toward the streams and most of the 
type is subject to overflow. By straightening and deepening 
stream channels much of this type doubtless could be reclaimed. 
Tile drains could also be used in draining such tracts. 

In origin this type is largely alluvial, though there are many 
narrow valleys and ravines having a small amount of this soil 


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Wisconsin Geol. and Nat. Hist. Survey. Plate III 



























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MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL 


59 


along the bottoms where the material is colluvial in origin. In 
such places there is a great rush of water during heavy rains, 
but this quickly runs off on account of the steep grade. 

The growth on this soil consists of willow, hazel brush, poplar, 
cherry, elm, and soft maple. There is a rank growth of grass over 
much of the type, affording excellent pasturage, and frequently 
hay is cut where there is no brush to interfere. 

The cutting of hay and pasturing are the only agricultural 
uses to which the Wabash loam is put at present. If properly 
drained, as some of it could be, it would be adapted to corn, 
small grains, timothy hay, alsike clover, and a number of other 
crops. 

PEAT. 

Description .—The material mapped as Peat consists of vege¬ 
table matter in various stages of decomposition and with which 
there has frequently been incorporated a very small quantity of 
mineral matter. The surface is black or dark brown and is 
usually fairly well decomposed, while the underlying material is 

of a brownish color and fibrous in most cases. The Peat extends 
to a depth greater than 3 feet in all cases, and it is probable that 
it exceeds 10 feet over most of the areas, though the exact depth 
was not determined. 

Extent and Distribution .—The Peat in this survey is of rather 
small extent. The largest area extends from about 3 miles west 
of Mondovi west and northwest to the county line and south¬ 
ward through several stream valleys. The area comprises the 
divide between Farrington Creek, flowing east into Buffalo River, 
and Big Bear Creek, flowing west into the Chippewa River. 
This divide, however, is not marked, and no differences in eleva¬ 
tion in the marsh can be detected by the eye. Other areas of 
Peat are encountered in various stream valleys throughout the 
county, the largest occurring along the Trempealeau River in the 
southeastern part of the county. These consist of low, wet tracts 
bordering the river, and it would be difficult to reclaim them. 

Native Vegetation .—Some of the areas of Peat are timbered 
with a dense growth of tamarack, while other portions are treeless 
and support a thick growth of coarse, wild grass. In Fanington 
Creek Valiev both conditions are found. Over the open marshes 


60 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


the wild grass is frequently cut for hay, and this is the extent of 
the present agricultural use of this soil. 

In a number of the Peat areas reclamation is practicable. 
When properly handled the Peat should yield good crops of corn, 
timothy, and alsike clover, and even small grains can be grown 
successfully. 

None of the Peat soil has been artificially drained, its agri¬ 
cultural use being confined to pasture and production of hay. 

Chemical Composition and improvement of Genesee soils and 
Peat. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


61 


CHAPTER VII. 

GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 

Agriculture in Buffalo County dates back to the first settle¬ 
ments of this region, which were made between 1845 and 1850. 
As was the case in other parts of Wisconsin, the production of 
grain early became the chief branch of farming, and for a con¬ 
siderable time wheat was grown more extensively than all other 
grains combined. As late as 1885 wheat still constituted about 
50 per cent of the grain produced, while oats made up about 27 
per cent and corn about 16 per cent. The history of grain 
growing in this region is similar to that of other parts of the 
State. Fields were cropped to grain continuously for .such a long 
period that the productiveness of the soil was gradually reduced, 
and when the prices began to decline and insect pests became 
troublesome the crop was not very profitable. During the last 
25 or 30 years there has been a gradual falling off in the produc¬ 
tion of wheat, andi in 1910 the total acreage for the county was 
only 4,575 acres. With the decline in wheat growing there has 
been an increase in the production of oats, hay, and corn, and 
the system of farming which is followed at present is a much 
better one than that practiced a half century ago. 

The present agriculture consists of general farming, with 
dairying as the most important and highly specialized branch, 
and the tendency throughout the county is toward a still greater 
development of the dairy farming. With this industry are com¬ 
ing better methods of farming, improved grades of live stock, 
and a greater interest in all lines of agricultural development. 

The general farm crops most extensively grown, in the order of 
their acreage, are oats, hay, corn, barley, rye, and wheat. 

Oats are grown more extensively than any other crop in the 
county, and in 1909, according to the census reports, 1,377,555 


62 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


bushels were produced from 46,304 acres, or about 30 bushels to 
the acre. Part of the crop is marketed through elevators at 
Fountain City, Alma, Mondovi, and Winona, Minn., but the 
greater part is fed to stock on the farms. Oats form the bulk of 
the grain fed to horses and are ground as part of the ration for 
feeding cattle and hogs. The crop is grown mainly on the Knox 
silt loam. It is grown quite extensively also on the Lintonia silt 
loam, Boone fine sandy loam, Bates silt loam, and Waukesha silt 
loam, on all of which good yields are obtained. On the more 
sandy types yields are considerably lower. The quality of all 
small grains is best where grown on light-colored soils, and the 
Knox silt loam is considered to be the best small-grain soil in the 
county. On dark soils the growth of straw is apt to be too rank 
and the plants frequently lodge. Also, the grain is slightly 
inferior in quality, and is lighter in weight than that grown on 
the lighter-colored silt loam types. 

Hay is the second crop in importance. In 1909 hay was cut 
from 40,709 acres, producing 75,059 tons, or an average of about 
1% tons per acre. Clover and timothy constitute the greater 
part of the hay grown. There is a considerably greater acreage 
devoted to timothy alone than to clover alone. Much wild hay 
is cut from areas of Peat and Genessee Soils and some from wet 
areas of Wabash loam. There are a few fields of alfalfa in the 
county, but this crop is grown only to a very small extent at 
present. 

Corn ranks third in acreage. From 25,043 acres in 1909 a 
yield of 838.441 bushels was obtained, or an average of over 33 
bushels per acre. The A\ aukesha and Bates silt loams are the 
best corn soils in the county and on these types yields of 50 to 60 
or even 70 bushels per acre are obtained under favorable condi¬ 
tions, and the average yield is always considerably above the 
average for the county. A large quantity of corn is cut and put 
into the silo each year, and the quantity is gradually increasing 
as the dairy industry develops. Practically all of the corn 
allowed to mature is fed to hogs or other stock on the farms where 
it is produced, and comparatively little is sold. Dent varieties 
are grown most extensively, and improvement is being made 
through the use of more carefully selected seed. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


63 


Barley ranks fourth in acreage, 24,911 acres in 1909 giving 
632,422 bushels, or an average yield of slightly over 25 bushels 
per acre. Barley is grown on most of the soils of the county, 
except the extremely sandy types. It appears to do better 
than oats on sandy and fine sandy loam soils. The acreage on 
the Knox silt loam has been decreasing more rapidly than on 
some of the other types, probably because of the growth of the 
dairy industry on this type. As in the case of oats, grain of 
the best quality is produced on light-colored soils. 

Rye is one of the most important crops on the light-textured 
soils of the county, though it is grown to some extent on prac¬ 
tically all of the cultivated types. The acreage in 1909 was 
4,663 acres and the production 67,511 bushels, or slightly over 
14 bushels per acre. This crop is better adapted to sandy soils 
than the other grains grown in the county. 

In 1909 wheat was grown on 4,575 acres, with a production 
of 88,302 bushels, or about 19 bushels per acre. The crop is 
grown mainly on the Knox, Lintonia, and Bates silt loams. Some 
of the fine sandy loams also are used for the production of wheat. 
The Knox silt loam produces a very good quality of wheat, as 
well as of other small grains. 

Potatoes are not grown on a commercial scale, except in a 
few instances. The potato patch seldom covers more than an 
acre or two. According to the census, 1,423 acres were devoted 
to the crop in 1909, producing 177,849 bushels, or about 125 
bushels per acre. During favorable seasons yields of 250 bushels 
an acre are obtained from fields which have received special at¬ 
tention. 

In the vicinity of Alma and Fountain City small fruits and 
grapes are grown successfully, and the trucking industry has 
been developed to a small extent. In the southern part of the 
county about Marshall and also in the northeastern part about 
Mondovi there is a little trucking carried on, and it would seem 
that this industry might be profitably extended. Peas and beans 
are not extensively grown, but cucumbers, chiefly for pickling, 
are grown in various parts of the county, Alma and Fountain 
City having pickling stations. Raspberries, currants, strawber¬ 
ries, etc., do very well. Many farmers have small apple orchards 
from which fruit of good quality is usually obtained, but apples 


64 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


are not grown on a commercial scale. There are a large number 
of excellent orchard sites throughout the county, the climatic con¬ 
ditions are favorable, and it would seem that apple growing 
might well be developed on a commercial scale. 

In 1913 there were 17 cheese factories and 10 creameries in 
Buffalo County, and the output of dairy products is gradually 
increasing. Dairying is carried on in all parts of the county, 
but is most highly developed on the silt loam and fine sandy 
loam soils. Considering the county as a whole, dairying is prob¬ 
ably better adapted to the Knox silt loam than to any other 
type. This type is excellent grain, grass, and clover soil, fair 
corn soil, and has associated with it a large amount of steep land 
and Rough stony land which provides an abundance of excellent 
pasturage. 

Most of the dairy herds in the county are made up of grade 
animals, with occasional herds of pure-bred Holstein, Guernsey, 
and Jersey. The use of purebred sires is gradually bringing the 
dairy stock of the county to a higher standard. Beef cattle are 
raised to some extent. Among the pure beef breeds the Short¬ 
horn and Aberdeen Angus are represented most largely. There 
is some Hereford blood in the county also, and the number of all 
purebred animals is gradually increasing, though most of the 
beef cattle are grade stock. A considerable number of calves and 
young stock are shipped out of the county each year. 

On the dark, level soils of the valleys corn is grown more ex¬ 
tensively than in the upland regions, and therefore in these 
sections hog raising is carried on to a greater extent than else¬ 
where, though some hogs are raised in all parts of the county in 
connection with dairying. More hogs and other stock are raised 
in the Waumandee Valley and in the vicinity of Mondovi than 
in other portions of the county. 

There are more horses raised in Buffalo County than in any 
other section of the State, and purebred Percheron, Morgan, 
Clydesdale, and Belgian horses are to be seen throughout the 
county. Most farmers raise their own work stock, and many plan 
to have a heavy draft team to sell every few years. There are a 
few farmers who make a business of raising horses. 

Sheep raising is carried on to some extent, and there are a 
number of farmers raising purebred sheep in various parts of the 
county. 

The adaptation of soils to crops is recognized to some extent. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


64a 


The dark Waukesha and Bates soils are known to be better corn 
soils than the lighter colored types, and the Knox silt loam is 
held better adapted to small grains than are the dark soils. Rye 
and buckwheat are confined principally to the sandy types of 
soil, because experience has shown that these soils can be used 
profitably for this crop. 

While crop rotations vary on the different soils throughout 
the county, probably the most common rotation consists of corn 
followed by a small grain, such as oats, barley, rye, or wheat one 
year, or possibly two years, and then seeded to timothy and 
clover. Hay is usually cut for two years. Very often the hay 
field is not pastured, since there is a large area of rough land 
on most farms which is devoted largely to grazing. On the 
sandy soils the ordinary rotation is somewhat different, and may 
consist of one year corn, followed by one year rye seeded to 
clover, followed by corn. On some farms but little thought is 
given to the selection of crop rotations best suited to the condi¬ 
tions, but more attention is each year being given to such mat¬ 
ters, with the result that farm methods are gradually improving 
and yields increasing. 

Stable manure is about the only fertilizer generally used at 
present within the county. Some green manuring is practiced, 
but it is not at all common, and commercial fertilizers are sel¬ 
dom used, except in a small way for special purposes. The 
methods of cultivation followed by the majority of the farmers 
are thorough, and agriculture is highly developed in nearly all 
parts of the county. The Waumandee Valley is considered to be 
one of the richest sections of the county, chiefly because of the 
rather extensive areas of level, black silt loam which are to be 
found there. On the Bates silt loam and fine sandy loam, as 
well as on the Knox and Lintonia silt loams, very fine farms 
are to be found. Special methods of cultivation are frequently 
required in this county, because of the danger of erosion on the 
steep hillsides. These special methods of hillside cultivation are 
covered under the discussion of the various soil types to which 
they refer. 

Of the weed pests which are found in Buffalo County the Can¬ 
ada thistle and quack grass are probably the most troublesome. 

Farm improvements vary with the character of the soil, but 


64b 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


as by far the greater proportion of the soil in the county is 
productive most of the farms are well improved, and the build¬ 
ings are substantial and kept in good repair. The best farms 
and buildings are found on the Knox, Waukesha, and Lintonia 
silt loams, and on the Bates silt loam and fine sandy loam. On 
the extremely sandy soils the poor quality of the soil is reflected 
in the buildings, fences, crops, and farm machinery. 

Obtaining farm labor is sometimes difficult, and on account of 
this condition the systems of agriculture followed are often more 
extensive than would otherwise be the case. In many instances 
all of the work is done by the farmer and his family. When a 
man is hired for the entire year the monthly wage is about $25 
to $30.00 with board and washing free. When employed only 
for the summer or the growing season or for haying and harvest¬ 
ing the wage is higher. When married men are employed, a 
house, fuel, and garden patch are often supplied in addition 
to the regular wage. 

According to the census of 1910, 92.8 per cent of the land in 
Buffalo County is in farms, and of this 49 per cent is classed 
as improved. The average size of farms is given as 189 acres and 
the average amount of improved land on each farm is 92 acres. 
Eighty-one per cent of the farms are operated by their owners, 
and considerably over half of these are free from mortgage debt. 
In most cases where land is rented, cash rather than share pay¬ 
ments, are made. 

During the period from 1900 to 1910 the value of lands in 
Buffalo County increased 67.7 per cent. Values vary greatly, 
depending upon the soil, location, improvement, etc. The best 
farms in the county have a selling value of $100 to $150 an acre. 
The poorest farms, on the extremely sandy soils, could probably 
be bought for $10 to $15 an acre. Farms on the Waukesha silt 
loam, Bates silt loam, Bates fine sandy loam, Knox silt loam, and 
Lintonia silt loam have a higher value than those on other types. 
These are recognized as the best soils of the county. The Knox 
silt loam is the most extensive type but some of the others men¬ 
tioned, while of small area, are highly improved. In Waumandee 
Valley, for example, farms on the Waukesha silt loam are as 
highly developed as, or possibly more highly developed than, 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


65 


those in any other section, and Wanmandee Valley is considered 
one of the richest agricultural sections of the county. 

In general, it may be said that the methods of farming and 
agricultural practices followed in the county are fairly well 
adapted to the existing conditions. 


66 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE PROBLEM OF EROSION IN BUFFALO COUNTY. 

The most important single problem in soil management in Buf¬ 
falo County is due to the large amounts of steep or rolling land. 
The county is in the so-called residual portion of the state where 
the streams which drain the area have cut down their beds 
through the formerly level elevated plain lying on limestone and 
into the sandstone beneath. These valleys have never been al¬ 
tered or filled by action of glaciers which once covered most of 
the state. The valleys were at first mere erosion ditches or small 
stream beds which have been enlarged and deepened during 
geological ages till their beds lie from 200 to over 400 feet below 
the limestone topped ridges which extend between. The valleys 
and their tributaries radiate like the veins of a leaf and the 
steep slopes which lead down from the ridge top to valley bot¬ 
tom make up a considerable part of the area of the county. 

Most of the soil on the sloping land is heavy and is included in 
the steep phase of the Knox silt loam. These slopes which origi¬ 
nally were timbered or brush-covered have been largely cleared 
and cultivated. Because of their unprotected condition and ex¬ 
posure to the work of surface run-off water from higher land, 
fields on this type of soil are often extensively washed and gul¬ 
lied by the descending storm water and the water from melting 
snow in spring. 

Other soils subject to erosion are the soils of the Boone series 
derived from sandstone and which often occupy lower slopes in 
the valleys. The soils of the Lintonia series which lie in narrow 
benches along the sides of the valley bottoms are also subject to 
severe gullying. The swift flowing water from the ridges and 
slopes must cross these benches before reaching the valley stream 
and deep ravines, gullies, and ditches are developed. Soil erosion 
is a farm problem not only because fields are cut by ditches and 
gullies which make cultivation difficult, but because erosion re¬ 
moves the finest and most fertile soil particles first and reduces 



Wisconsin Geol. and Nat. History. 














































. 









































THE PROBLEM OF EROSION IN BUFFALO COUNTY 


67 


the fertility and yield of fields by removing fine soil and organic 
matter from the surface. The causes of removal of soil from the 
surface without formation of gullies generally lie in improper 
methods of cultivation or poor arrangement of fields. Fields 
where this kind of erosion occurs are often only gently rolling or 
undulating and the rain water does not collect in larger swift¬ 
flowing rills or streams which have power to cut ditches, but fol¬ 
lows the cultivated rows such as corn or potatoes or the drill 
rows of grain fields and the soil is removed only from the knolls 
and deposited in the hollows. 

Contour cultivation and arrangement of the crop rows across 
the slope instead of with or down the slopes retards the move¬ 
ment of soil in such fields. Keeping the most exposed places in 
sod as much as possible and the cultivation of the field in alter¬ 
nate strips of crop and sod across the slopes are inconvenient 
but often necessary methods. 

Rotation of crops in such a way that two cultivated crops do 
not follow in succession gives the field opportunity to recover 
from its losses under cultivation and avoiding a hard bare condi¬ 
tion of the eroded ground after harvest as much as possible pre¬ 
vents surface wash in the fall. A cover or catch crop of rye or 
peas in the corn rows helps protect the soil after harvest and fur¬ 
nishes pasture until winter. 

Deep plowing and plowing under of straw, manure, or a sec¬ 
ond crop of clover to increase the organic matter in the soil also 
give the surface of the field greater absorbing capacity and 
resistance to erosion. 

Gullying occurs where greater volumes of water collect form¬ 
ing cutting-streams where steeper slopes cause the water to flow 
faster or in places where the soil has an unstaple foundation of 
sandy material which easily undermines when the water once 
cuts through the surface soil and establishes a fall which cuts 
back in the sandy subsoil. In favorable situations large gullies 
y 2 mile or more in length are sometimes cut during a single sea¬ 
son. 

In their beginnings most small gullies are easily handled. 
Small drainage-ways or shallow ditches can be filled with straw 
or manure and plowed shut. Such shallow drainage-ways should 
be left in permanent sod. The plow can be easily thrown out in 
passing across them. On the level terraces or where heavy soil 
lies on light sand or sandy gravelly subsoil, small ditches must 


68 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


be immediately tended to because all ditches on such soil are 
dangerous. 

Where the subsoil is clay and where clay or silt soil material 
is being brought down by the flood water, large gullies may be 
made to fill by putting in a dam of stumps, brush, and logs. 
Where the subsoil is sandy much greater care is required. If 
dams are built in the latter case, they need to be carefully con¬ 
structed to prevent the water from cutting around them. 

Dams of concrete, stone, wire mesh, and brush have been suc¬ 
cessfully used. Flume devices also have been used to carry the 
water over the head of the ditch and down into it preventing its 
continued growth. 

Planting willows and bushes on the sides and bottom of ditches 
too deep to fill often arrests the growth of the ditch. Sorghum, 
sweet clover, or rye make good emergency crops on eroded spots 
and fields which later need to be seeded to grasses and left in 
permanent sod. # 


♦See Bulletin 272 of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



CLIMATE 


69 


CHAPTER IX. 


CLIMATE* 

“Among the factors which influence the agriculture of a state 
none is more important than climate. The class of crops which 
can be grown is largely determined by the length of the growing 
season, and the amount and distribution of the rainfall.” Any 
one of these factors may determine the type of farming which 
can be followed to best advantage. 

“The distribution of rainfall over Wisconsin is remarkably 
uniform, the average yearly precipitation having a range of 
from 28 to 34 inches, while the mean for the state as a whole is 
31 inches. This is a slightly heavier rainfall than is received by 
eastern England, northern France, most of Germany, Sweden, 
and the Dundee Valley. As compared with other portions of 
this country, Wisconsin has a total rainfall equaling that of cen¬ 
tral Oklahoma and Kansas, northern Iowa, Michigan, Northwest¬ 
ern New York, or the Puget Sound Basin of Washington. But 
owing to its northerly location, the lessened evaporation probably 
makes the precipitation as effective as that of Arkansas, Illinois, 
or Virginia. ” 

The local distribution of rainfall varies, however, from year to 
year, some sections receiving more rain one year, and other sec¬ 
tions more in other years. The variation is caused largely by the 
movement of cyclonic storms. The average rainfall for the en¬ 
tire state during the driest year was 21.4 inches, and for the 
wettest year 37 inches. 

“Of equal importance, in agriculture, to the total rainfall, is 
its seasonal distribution, and in this respect Wisconsin is un¬ 
usually fortunate, since about half of the total rainfall comes 
in May, June, July, and August, and nearly 70% from April to 

♦This chapter has been taken largely from Wisconsin Bulletin 223 
on The Climate of Wisconsin and its Relation to Agriculture. This 
bulletin should be consulted if more information is desired concerning 
climate. All quotations indicated are taken from this bulletin. 



70 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


September, inclusive. June has the heaviest rainfall, averaging 
4.1 inches, while July averages 4 inches and May 3.9 inches. 
The precipitation during the winter, on the other hand is slight; 
December, January, and February each averaging from 1 to 1.5 
inches of rain and melted snow. The average rainfall for 
the state during the winter is 3.9 inches, during spring 8.3 
inches, during summer 11.4 inches and during autumn 7.4 inches. 

Most of the rainfall occurs just preceding and during the 
period of plant growth, thus being received by the .crop at the 

most effective time. Wisconsin receives during the growing sea¬ 
son, April to September, inclusive, an average of 21 inches, which 
is as much rain as is received during the same months by eastern 
Texas, Illinois, Ohio, or eastern New York. The small winter 
precipitation in Wisconsin, mostly in the form of snow, on the 
other hand, causes virtually no leaching of fertility from the soil, 
or erosion. 

Another phase of rainfall distribution of great importance 
is its variation within a period of a few weeks. Frequently 
periods of drought and periods of unusually heavy rainfall occur, 
continuing for from one to four weeks, and occasionally longer. 
Observations taken at Madison over a period of 30 years, from 
1882-1911, inclusive, show that there are, on the average, three 
ten day periods during each growing season when the amount 
of rainfall is so slight that crops on a reasonably heavy soil 
(Miami silt loam) actually suffer from the lack of moisture. 

Buffalo County lies partly within the Mississippi Valley and 
partly within the Southern Highlands, which are recognized as 
forming two of the eight climatic provinces in Wisconsin. The 
Mississippi Valley is a rather deep depression, the warm influenc.e 
of the lower altitude being apparent from Dubuque, Iowa, as 
far north as Grantsburg, Wis. This narrow valley is much 
cooler and has drier winters than the Lake Michigan shore. The 
mean summer temperature averages about 78° F., and is similar 
to that of New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, Ohio, or 
southern California. The mean winter temperature in the north¬ 
ern part of this valley resembles that of northern Vermont, 
northern Michigan, or eastern Montana. On an average of seven 
days during the winter the thermometer drops to -10° F. or 
lower, while during summer afternoons a temperature of 95° 
may be expected. The growing season in this valley ranges from 
150 to 175 days, about the same duration as that of the Hudson 


CLIMATE 


71 


River Valley, nearly all of Ohio, the northern half of Illinois, 
western Kansas, or the Columbia River Valley. 

The Southern Highlands includes the rough and rolling region, 
generally over 1,000 feet in elevation, extending from Clark 
County south to the Illinois line, and lying between the Missis¬ 
sippi Valley on the west and the Wisconsin and Rock River 
Valleys on the east. It is characterized by a cooler temperature 
than the adjoining valleys, the summer temperature (66° to 29° 
E.) being similar to that along the Michigan shore, while the 
mean winter temperature is only 2° higher than along the 
Superior shore. The growing season, averaging 145 days, is 
apparently 20 to 30 days shorter than on the lower lands of the 
State in the same latitude, while in the river valleys and ravines 
in this section the frost danger is still greater. 

The first of the following tables gives the mean monthly and 
annual temperature and precipitation at Wabasha, Minn., and 
at Whitehall, Wis. Wabasha is situated just across the Missis¬ 
sippi River from Buffalo County, and Whitehall is located in 
Trempealeau County, which borders Buffalo County on the east. 

The station at Wabasha has an elevation of 681 feet above sea 
level and the station at Whitehall is 675 feet above sea level, so 
that these records indicate the weather conditions of the Missis¬ 
sippi Valley and the Trempealeau River Valley rather than of 
the whole region surveyed. The greater part of the county is 
from 200 to 400 feet higher than the river valleys, and varies 
somewhat in the length of growing season, as indicated above. 

The second table gives the normal monthly, seasonal, and 
annual temperature and precipitation and the average dates of 
first and last killing frosts at Eau Claire, about 14 miles north 
of the north county line. This station has an elevation of 800 
feet. A comparison with the tables from the other points men¬ 
tioned may be of interest. 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY. 


i 


9 


NORMAL MONTHLY AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE AND 
WABASHA, MINN., AND WHITEHALL, 


PRECIPITATION AT 
WIS. 


Month 


December 
January . 
February 
March ... 

April . 

May . 

June . 

July . 

August .. 
Sep tern b r 
October .. 
November 
Annual .. 


Wabasha, Minn., 

14 years 

Tempera- 

Frecipita- 

ture 

tion 

°F. 

Inches 

20.2 

1.19 

14.4 

.99 

16.7 

.95 

30.5 

1.77 

47.5 

2.52 

59.3 

4.2S 

67.8 

4.12 

12.3 

3.54 

70.0 

3.43 

62.4 

3.56 

49.7 

2.84 

33.1 

1.56 

45.3 

30.68 


Whitehall, Wis., 
17 years 


Tempera¬ 

ture 

Precipita¬ 

tion 

°F. 

Inches 

18.8 

1.34 

14.1 

.84 

14.2 

.96 

30.5 

1.58 

46.2 

2.41 

57.0 

4.06 

66.2 

4.30 

70.2 

3.45 

68.3 

3.63 

61.6 

3.80 

49.2 

2.46 

33.9 

1.39 

44.2 

30.22 


NORMAL MONTHLY, SEASONAL, AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE PRECIPITA¬ 
TION AT EAU CLAIRE, EAU CLAIRE COUNTY 



Temperature 

Precipitation 

Month 

Mean 

Absolute 

maximum 

Absolute 

minimum 

Mean 

Total 
amount 
for the 
driest 
year 

Total 
amount 
for the 
wettest 
year 

December . 

°F. 

18.7 

°F, 

54 

“F 1 . 

—28 

Inches 

1.48 

Inches 

0.27 

Inches 

0.84 

January . 

13.1 

54 

—34 

1.00 

0.32 

0.32 

February . 

14.3 

59 

—40 

1.28 

2.26 

0.87 







Winter 

15.4 



3.76 

2.85 

2.03 




rch . 

8.7 

75 

—18 

2.04 

2.85 

2.10 

April . 

45.6 

88 

11 

2.58 

2.22 

3.72 

May . 

57.0 

94 

20 

4.37 

1.96 

7.03 




Spring 

43.8 



8.99 

7.03 

12.85 




June . 

66.8 

97 

25 

4.66 

1.50 

2.44 

.July . 

70.7 

103 

41 

3.47 

1.27 

8.78 

August . 

69.2 

98 

36 

3.26 

0.23 

5. €9 


Summer . 

68.9 



11.39 

3.00 

16.31 




September . 

61.1 

99 

.0 

3.93 

0.77 

5.13 

9.12 

October . 

48.6 

86 

10 

3.22 

1.99 

November . ... . 

32.1 

72 

—15 

1.67 

1.79 

0.65 


Fall . 

47.3 



8.82 

7.69 

11.76 




Year . 

43.9 

103 ' 

—10 

32.96 

* 20.57 

42.95 




Average date of first killing frost in autumn, October 1; of last in spring, May 10. 










































































































































































CLIMATE 


The extremes in temperature show a wide range. The highest 
ever recorded was at Wabasha, where 105° F. was reached, while 
the lowest was at Whitehall, where a temperature of -46° F. was 
once recorded. Such extremes are very rare, however, and of 
short duration. 

Reference to the following figures gives the length of growing 
season in Buffalo County as compared with other portions of the 
state. 

The average date of the last killing frost in the spring at 
Wabasha is May 1 and at Whitehall May 6. The average date 
of the first killing frost in fall at Wabasha is October 5 and at 
Whitehall October 4. This gives an average growing season at 
these two stations of approximately 150 to 155 days. On the 
higher elevations and in small valleys and ravines the season is 
somewhat shorter than at the stations where the records were 
taken. It is very seldom, however, that corn is damaged by early 
frosts, even where the growing season is the shortest. At Eau 
Claire the growing season appears to be a few days shorter than 
at the other two stations. The records from these three stations 
may be considered as representing fairly well the respective por¬ 
tions of Buffalo County having about the same elevations as the 
stations. 

Good water is available in nearly all parts of the county, 
though on the higher ridges it is often necessary to drill to con¬ 
siderable depths. While there is overflow land along the larger 
streams, swamps are rare and healthful atmospheric conditions 
prevail throughout the region. 


74 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


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CLIMATE 


75 


SUMMARY 

Buffalo County is situated midway along the west State line 
of Wisconsin and comprises 687 square miles, or 439,680 acres. 
It may be divided broadly into two divisions, the valleys and 
the uplands. The topography of the valley is level to undulat¬ 
ing, becoming gently rolling in a few places, and in the upland 
the surface is gently rolling to hilly. The slopes are usually 
steep and rocky. On the ridge tops and gentle slopes are found 
the most extensive areas of highly developed soil in the county. 

The first settlements in the territory embraced within the 
county were made between 1845 and 1850. All parts of the 
county are now well settled. 

Three railroad systems enter the county, and these with the 
Mississippi River provide adequate transportation facilities, 
except for interior points. Alma, the county seat, is 353 miles 
from Chicago, over the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 
and 89 miles from Minneapolis. 

The mean annual temperature of the county is about 45° F. 
and the mean annual precipitation about 30.5 inches. The 
length of the growing season is about 150 to 155 days. 

Over practically all the county agriculture is well developed 
and prospering. The leading type of agriculture is general 
farming, with dairying as the main feature. The crops most 
extensively grown are oats, hay, corn, barley, rye, and wheat. 
The steep slopes afford excellent pasture and are usually kept 
in grass to prevent erosion. 

Buffalo County lies within the unglaciated portion of the 
State and the soils have been derived largely from the disin¬ 
tegration products of the underlying limestones, shales, and 
sandstone, although probably there has been influence in places 
by wind-blown material or loess, and from the material washed 
down from the slopes, transported by the streams, and deposited 
as terrace formations. 

Including Rough stony land, Peat, and the Genessee Soils, 
19 types and 3 phases of soil are recognized in the county. 

The Knox silt loam, with its steep phase, is an extensive type 
and is found throughout the upland portion of the county. It 


76 


SOIL SURVEY OF BUFFALO COUNTY 


is a good general farming soil and upon it dairying is carried on 
quite extensively. It produces a better quality of grain than any 
of the other types. 

The Waukesha series consists of dark-colored terrace soils, 
found as terraces along many of the streams throughout the 
county. This series includes some of the finest agricultural land 
in the county. The types mapped are the Waukesha silt loam, 
and gravelly sandy loam. 

The Boone series of soils is derived from the disintegration 
of the Potsdam sandstone. 

The Lintonia series forms the light-colored terraces through¬ 
out the county, but is not very extensively developed. The 
types mapped are the silt loam, fine sandy loam, and fine sand. 
The Lintonia silt loam is very similar to the Knox, except in 
topography and origin. 

The Plainfield series of terrace soils includes the sand and 
fine sandy loam found along the Buffalo, Chippewa, and Mis¬ 
sissippi Rivers. The fine sandy loam is used for general farming, 
farming. 

The Bates series is similar to the Boone, but the soils are 
black instead of light colored. The types mapped include some 
of the best soil in the county. The Bates silt loam and fine sandy 
loam are recognized and mapped as belonging to this series. 

Peat comprises areas of partially decomposed vegetable matter 

which occupy low, poorly drained positions, chiefly along 

streams. This soil is rather inextensive in Buffalo Countv. 

•/ 

Rough stony land includes rock exposures, cliffs, and land 
which is too steep and rough to cultivate profitably. It is only 
of value for the small amount of timber and pasture it supplies. 

The Genessee soils include a fine sandy, loam, silt loam and 
silty clay loam. Soils on flood plains of streams and subject 
to occasional or frequent over flow make up this series. 


KEEP THE MAP 


The Experiment Station will publish bulletins from time to 
time dealing with the management of the different types mapped, 
so that some way should bo found by each person receiving a 
copy of this report to keep the map permanently. If the map is 
folded in such a way as to have the part you are interested in of 
a convenient size, and then have a simple frame with glass made 
to hold it, it can be kept indefinitely. Since some of the colors 
fade after being exposed to strong light for a long time, it would 
be a good plan to have a protecting flap of dark cloth over the 
map when not in use. 




WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 


W. O. HOTCHKISS, Director and State Geologist. 

A. R. WHITSON, In Charge, Division of Soils. 

SOIL SURVEY IN COOPERATION WITH THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 

H. L. RUSSELL, Dean. 


BULLETIN NO. 54B 


SOIL SERIES NO. 24. 


SOIL SURVEY 

OF 

JACKSON COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


BY 


A.. R. WHITSON, W. J. GEIB. AND T. J. DUNNEWALD OF THE 
WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY, SURVEY, 
AND A. L. GOODMAN, G. W. MUSGRAVE AND C. B. 
CLEVENGER OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF 
AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF SOILS. 




SURVEY CONDUCTED IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED 
STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU OF SOILS, 

MILTON WHITNEY, CHIEF. 

CURTIS F. MARBUT, IN CHARGE SOIL SURVEY 







PUBLISHED BY THE STATE 
MADISON, WISCONSIN 
1923 








t 




TABLE OF CONTENTS 


Page 

Table of Contents. 3 

Illustrations . 5 

Introduction . 7 

Soil Classification . 9 

CHAPTER I. 

General Description of the Area. 11 

Soils . 15 

CHAPTER II. 

Group of Heavy Soils. 19 

Knox silt loam. 19 

Knox silt loam, steep phase. 23 

Lintonia silt loam. 24 

Bates silt loam. 26 

Vesper silt loam. 27 

Chemical composition and improvement of heavy soils. 28 

CHAPTER III. 

Group of Medium Heavy Soils. 31 

Boone loam . 31 

Boone fine sandy loam. 32 

Vesper fine sandy loam. 34 

Chemical composition and improvement of medium heavy soils 36 

CHAPTER IV. 

Group of Sandy Soils. 37 

Boone fine sand..... . 37 

Boone fine sand, level phase. 38 

Boone fine sand, low phase poorly drained. 40 

Plainfield sand . 41 

Plainfield fine sand . 43 

Plainfield sandy loam . 44 

Vesper sandy loam. 44 

Chemical composition and fertility of sandy soils. 45 





























TABLE OF CONTENTS 


CHAPTER V. 

Group of Soils Lacking Good Drainage. 48 

Dunning sand . 48 

Genesee fine sandy loam. 49 

Genesee silt loam. 50 

Wabash loam . 51 

Wabash silt loam. 51 

CHAPTER VI. 

Miscellaneous Soils .. 53 

Peat . 53 

Chemical composition and fertility of peat. 57 

Rough stony land. 60 

CHAPTER VII. 

Agriculture of Jackson County. 62 

Types of farming.;. 62 

Cultural methods .'. 63 

Rotation of crops. 64 

Erosion . 68 

Drainage . 70 

Liming . 71 

The use of fertilizers. 73 

Farm products and agricultural statistics. 76 

Agricultural history . 79 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Climate . 80 

Summary . 83 
























ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES AND FIGURES. 

Page 

Plate I. View showing typical crops and topography on Knox 

silt loam . 22 

Binding grain on rolling portion of Knox silt loam.... 22 

Plate II. View of Wildcat Mound. 32 

Topography and vegetation typical of Boone fine sandy 
loam . 32 

Plate III. View showing topography and vegetation in sand and 

marsh country in eastern part of Jackson county 42 
View of corn on Plainfield sand. 42 

Plate IV. Clover growing successfully on Plainfield sand. 46 

Field of rye on Plainfield sand at Hancock, Wis. 46 

Plate V. View of buildings on Experimental Farm at Han¬ 
cock, Wis. 64 

Alfalfa on Plainfield sand on Experimental Farm at 
Hancock . 64 

Figure 1. Sketch map showing areas surveyed. 12 

Figure 2. Map showing length of growing season in the state- 80 

Soil Map ... Attached to hack cover 

















INTRODUCTION 


Before the greatest success in agriculture can be reached it is 
necessary that the farmer should have a thorough knowledge of 
the soil upon his own farm. A soil may be well adapted to one 
crop, and poorly adapted to another crop. Clover will produce 
a vigorous growth and profitable yields on the average loam soil 
which contains lime and is in a sweet condition; but on a sandy 
soil which is sour, or in an acid condition, clover will not make 
a satisfactory growth. We may say, therefore, that failure is 
certain to be invited when such important facts are disregarded, 
or overlooked. The degree of success which it is possible to win 
on any farm is in direct proportion to the practical knowledge 
possessed by the farmer concerning the soil and its adaptation 
to crops. A thorough knowledge of the soil is as essential to 
the farmer as a knowledge of merchandise and business methods 
is to the merchant. 

The State of Wisconsin, working in cooperation with the 
United States Department of Agriculture, is making a careful 
study of soils and agricultural conditions throughout AVisconsin, 
and is preparing soil maps and soil reports of all counties in 
the State. A soil map shows the location and extent of the dif¬ 
ferent kinds of soil. Tracts of 10 acres and over are mapped, 
but often areas of even smaller extent are shown. The soil map 
is prepared by trained men, who go over a county thoroughly, 
and examine the soil by making a sufficient number of borings 
to a depth of 36 inches to keep account of all variations. A re¬ 
port is also made, to accompany and explain the map, and this 
is based upon a careful study of the soils within the region sur¬ 
veyed, and upon such other features as have a direct bearing 
upon the agriculture of the area. 

It is the object of this survey to make an inventory of the 
soils of the State, and to be of practical help to farmers by lo¬ 
cating and describing the different soils, by determining their 
physical character and chemical composition, and by offering 
suggestions for their management, based upon the work of the 



8 


INTRODUCTION 


Soil Survey within the area, covered in the report, and upon 
the results of field tests made by the Experiment Station. 

Soil fertility depends upon two factors: First, upon the phys¬ 
ical characteristics of the soil, such as water holding capacity, 
workability, etc., and second, upon the chemical composition of 
the material composing the soil. The chemical composition de¬ 
pends upon the mode of origin of the soil, and the source of 
material from which the soil is derived. 

Water holding capacity and other physical properties of soil 
all depend chiefly upon texture, which refers to the size of the 
individual soil grains, or particles. A coarse sandy soil, for ex¬ 
ample, will not retain moisture so long as a loam soil, or clay 
loam, because the finer the soil grains, the greater will be the 
total soil-grain surface area to which moisture may adhere. 

Texture is determined in the field by rubbing the soil between 
the thumb and fingers, and with experience one soon becomes 
expert at judging the size of soil grains. This field judgment 
is verified in the laboratory by a mechanical analysis, which is 
made by a simple method of separating soil grains into different 
groups, of which there are seven. These are known as clay, silt, 
very fine sand, fine sand, medium sand, coarse sand and fine 
gravel. 

A chemical analysis is also made of the soil to determine the 
amounts of various essential plant-food elements which are pres¬ 
ent. A chemical analysis shows whether the soil contains a 
large store of plant food, or only a small quantity, and it indi¬ 
cates which kinds of plant food will probably be needed first. 
The amount of organic matter in the soil is also determined, 
and tests are made to show conditions relative to soil acidity. 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


SOIL CLASSIFICATION. 

Soils are grouped according to texture into soil classes, a soil 
class being made up of soils having the same texture, though 
differing in other respects. A fine sand, for example, may be 
light colored and of alluvial origin, while another fine sand.may 
be dark in color and of residual origin, while a third fine sand 
may have been blown into sand dunes by the wind, yet all of 
these soils would belong to the same class, because the greater 
proportion of the soil grains have the same size or texture. Thus 
we may have different kinds of clays, loams, sands, etc., and the 
class to which any soil will belong depends upon the size of the 
individual soil grains of which it is composed, and not upon its 
color, origin, topographic position, or agricultural value. 

SOIL CLASSES 

Soils Containing Less Than 20% Silt and Clay 

Coarse sand.—Over 25% fine gravel and coarse sand, and less than 50% 
of any other grade of sand. 

Sand.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand, and less than 
50% fine sand. 

Fine sand.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, coarse 
and medium sand. 

Very fine sand.—Over 50% very fine sand. 

Soils Containing Between 20-50% of Silt and Clay 

Sandy loam.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand. 

Fine sandy loam.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, coarse 
and medium sand. 

Sandy clay.—Less than 20% silt. 

Soils Containing Between 20-50% of Silt and Clay 

Loam.—Less than 20% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silt loam.—Less than 20% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silty clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay.—Over 30% clay. 

Soils may be grouped in another way. Where soils are closely 
related through similar sources of the material from which de¬ 
rived, mode of origin, topographic position, etc., so that the dif¬ 
ferent soils constitute merely a graduation in texture of other¬ 
wise uniform material, such a group is called a soil series. It 
corresponds to the family which is made up of different indi¬ 
viduals having the same parentage. The Miami series, for ex- 


10 


INTRODUCTION 


ample, includes light colored, glacial material where the soils 
have been derived largely from the underlying limestone, and 
the soils in the series range in texture from a clay loam to 
sandy and gravelly loams. The name used for a soil series usually 
indicates the locality where that particular series was first recog¬ 
nized and mapped by the Soil Survey. By uniting the soil class 
with the soil series we get the soil type which is the basis 
or unit of classifying and mapping soils. A soil type thus, is 
a soil which is uniform throughout its entire extent in texture, 
color, topographic position, and other physical properties, and 
having a distinct agricultural unity, that is, being adapted to 
the same crops, and requiring the same treatment. It is also 
uniform in the source of material from which it is derived, and 
the mode of origin which, taken together, determine the chemical 
composition. Since the soil type is the unit in classifying and 
mapping soils, and the basis upon which experimental w T ork 
should be conducted, every farmer should be familiar with the 
soil types on his farm, and their leading characteristics. 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


CHAPTER I 

DESCRIPTION OF AREA 

Location and boundaries .—Jackson county is located in the 
west central part of Wisconsin, and has an area of approxi¬ 
mately 978 square miles or 625,920 acres. It is bounded on the 
north by Clark and Eau Claire counties, on the east by Wood 
and Juneau, on the south by Monroe and La Crosse, and on the 
west by Trempealeau county. It has an extreme length east 
and west of forty-two miles. The eastern portion of the county 
is only eighteen miles wide, while the western two tiers of 
townships give the county a width of thirty-six miles. 

Topography .—The surface features of the Jackson county 
fall into two very distinct divisions. The approximate boundary 
between the different zones is marked b}" the Black River from 
the southwestern corner of the county to a point three miles 
north of Black River Falls. From this point northward, the 
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Line marks the dividing 
line. The county to the west consists of a series of valleys 
and narrow ridges which give the region a hilly to broken to¬ 
pography. To the east the surface is nearly level. 

Geological History .—In the early geological history of the 
region there w r as a smooth initial surface underlaid by lime¬ 
stone, with sandstone in turn beneath it. The lower Magnesian 
limestone which originally covered this region has practically 
all been removed by erosion, and remnants of the elevated plain¬ 
like surface have been reduced by weathering and erosion to 
very narrow, winding irregular ridges on which the outcroppings 
of sandstone are frequent. In but few cases in the county is 
there any tillable land on the narrow crest of these high ridges. 



12 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


The headward streams from one drainage system have inter¬ 
locked with adjacent systems so that the divides are crooked, 
rocky ridges. This gives the west half of the county a rolling, 
rugged appearance, the greatest irregularity of surface being 
along the western extremity of the county and becoming less 
pronounced going eastward to the Black River. 

The eastern portion of the county consists of a very extensive 
sandy plainlike region where the surface is nearly level and 
from the floor of which there arise numerous cliffs of sandstone 
more resistant than the bulk of the underlying rock. These 
mounds form a conspicuous feature of the landscape. 



FIG. 1. SKETCH MAP SHOWING AREAS SURVEYED IN THE STATE. 

Much of the eastern portion of the county within this sandy 
plain is low and poorly drained, and includes extensive marsh 
areas made up largely of peat. These marshy areas are most 
extensive in the extreme eastern tier of townships where over 
from 75 to 80 percent of the land area is marsh. 

Tin oughout the marshy tracts and within the regions where 
shale lay eis occur with the sandstone as well as along the first 
bottoms of streams, the natural drainage is deficient. Else¬ 
where the natural drainage is good. 

Water courses .—The Black River which enters the county 
near the center of the north side and leaves at the southwest 













































DESCRIPTION OF AREA. 


13 


corner, receives the drainage waters from the greater part of 
the area. From the east it receives the drainage waters from 
the East Fork of the Black River, Morrison Creek, Perry Creek, 
Robinson Creek and others, while from the west it receives 
Halls Creek, Town Creek, Roaring Creek, and Douglas Creek. 
The extreme western border of the county drains westward 
chiefly through tributaries of the Trempealeau and Beef Rivers 
into the Mississippi. From the southeastern portion of the 
county some of the drainage water reaches the Wisconsin River 
through the Lemonweir River and its tributaries. 

Settlement .—The first settlement in Jackson county was 
made in 1818 or 1819 when a saw mill was erected on Town 
Creek, but this was not permanent. The Indians did not cede 
away their right to the region until 1838, and in 1839 the first 
permanent settlement was made on the present site of Black 
River Falls. The Mormons bought a mill here in 1843 which 
they operated for part of two years. Later a Mormon settle¬ 
ment was established at Knapp in the country to the east of 
Millston. Jackson County was established in 1853, and the vil¬ 
lage of Black River Falls was incorporated in 1866. 

Black River Falls, with a population 1,796 in 1920, is the 
county seat of Jackson county and also the largest city. It is 
situated on the Black River near the center of the county, and 
is a distributing center, market and shipping point for a large 
territory. Merrillan, Hixton, Taylor, Hatfield, Pray, and Mill¬ 
ston are smaller railroad towns. In 1920 Jackson county had 
a population of 17,746. 

Railways .—Two railway systems traverse the county. The 
Chicago and Northwestern Line crosses the area from the south¬ 
east to the northwest passing through Millston, Black River 
Falls, and Merrillan. From Merrillan a branch runs northeast 
through Neillsville, Marshfield, and Wausau, to Green Bay. 
From Fairchild, just above the north county line a branch ex¬ 
tends west to Monclovi in Buffalo county. The Green Bay and 
AVestern Railway crosses the county from east to w^est passing 
through Pray, Hatfield, Merrillan, Hixton, and Taylor. The 
southwestern corner of the county is more remote from railroad 
facilities than any other section of the area, but this has not 
prevented the development. In fact this is one of the best im¬ 
proved and most highly prosperous farming communities in the 


14 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


county, and centers about the inland town of Melrose which is 
connected with Black River Falls by stage. 

Highways .—The main dirt roads throughout the western part 
of the county are usually graded and kept in good condition, as 
the predominating soil material usually makes a good roadbed, 
but hills are numerous and grades are frequently steep; so 
heavy hauling is difficult. Throughout the sandy portion of 
the county most of the roads are very sandy, but in some in¬ 
stances shale or clay, where available, has been used in improving 
the highways with very satisfactory results. 

Other improvements .—At Hatfield there is a large dam across 
the Black River just above the rapids, and this forms an exten¬ 
sive reservoir known as Lake Arbutus. A power house is located 
several miles south of the dam, and from here the electric pow T er 
is carried over high tension transmission lines to La Crosse 
and other points. 

Nearly all parts of the county are supplied with rural free 
delivery service, and telephones are in common use. 

Markets .—The towns within the area afford markets and ship¬ 
ping points for the farm produce raised. From Black River 
Falls to Madison, it is 127 miles and to Milwaukee 209 miles. 
It is 250 miles to Chicago, and 152 miles to Minneapolis, Minne¬ 
sota. 

Farm equipment .—The farm buildings and equipment in the 
Knox silt loam and Boone fine sandy loam and loam country 
are generally modern and up to date in all ways. In the vicinity 
of Melrose and the north side of the Trempealeau River valley, 
large barns and silos, electric lights and w T ater supply systems 
are common. A number of farms use tractors, although the 
amount of steep and rough land precludes the use of some types 
of tractors for field work. 

In the more sandy districts, farm buildings are generally 
less pretentious, occasional abandoned farms are seen, and 
equipment and machinery are of a less complete order. Al¬ 
though there are sometimes very good buildings and equipment 
on sandy farms, the general condition of these is usually a fair 
indication as to the fertility of the soil or the profitable nature 
of the farming done. 


DESCRIPTION OF AREA. 


15 


Farm tenure and labor .—Of the 2577 farms is Jackson county 
reported by the United States census of 1920, the greatest num¬ 
ber, 991, lie between 100 to 175 acres in size, 622 farms were 
50 to 99 acres in size, and 425 were 175 to 260 acres in size. 
Moderate to large size farms are the rule, although where 
special crops are grown exclusively the farms are often much 
smaller. 86.3 per cent of the farms are operated by owners, 
12.7 per cent by tenants, and 1 per cent by managers. 

Labor on farms is generally American born, obtained from 
the immediate locality. Prewar wages were from $30 to $40 
per month with board, although during the last few seasons as 
much as two times this price has been paid due to war condi¬ 
tions. In general, farm help is scarce and the special crops such 
as tobacco and cucumbers have been reduced in acreage on many 
farms because of the labor shortage. 

Land values .—Farm land ranges greatly in price. The best 
land in the well developed Knox silt loam country often sells for 
$100 to $200 an acre, and an occasional wooded poorly located 
piece can be bought for $35 to $40. In the east half and the 
sandy districts, wild land may be had for $5 to $20 per acre 
and partly developed land for from $20 to $40 per acre. Values 
in all parts of the county vary greatly depending upon location, 
lay of the land, improvements, soil, and the manner in which 
fertility has been kept up. The producing capacity of farms 
in each district varies even on the same soil according to the 
methods followed, and the personal equasion of the farmer must 
always be considered in passing upon the value of a farm. 

SOILS 

Jackson county lies almost entirely within the unglaciated por¬ 
tion of Wisconsin, and in its geological formations, soil condi¬ 
tions, and topography, it is representative of large areas in the 
central and southwestern parts of the state. 

Throughout nearly all of the county the uppermost rock con¬ 
sists of Potsdam sandstone. Over the western portion of the 
area this rock outcrops in numerous places forming the steep 
rocky slopes of valley walls, isolated mounds or long narrow 
ridges where the rock has been more resistant to processes of 
weathering. In the eastern portion of the county there are also 


16 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


numerous isolated mounds of sandstone which, as indicated else¬ 
where, form a conspicuous feature of the landscape. 

The outcrops of this rock determine the classification, and 
make up a considerable portion of the type mapped as Rough 
Stony Land. 

Granitic rocks form the bed rock formation along the Black 
. River from Black River Falls north. In the immediate vicinity 
of City Point, in the extreme eastern part of the county, the 
surface rock is also granite. 

From the standpoint of soils, the whole county may be con¬ 
sidered as being unglaciated, but along the extreme northern bor¬ 
der of the county, there are various indications of glaciation. 
These are chiefly glacial bowlders and gravel in places. No 
pronounced moraine is found there. The glaciation repre¬ 
sented is Pre-Wisconsin, and because of its extreme age and 
that its action along the southern border was very feeble, the 
influence on the present-day soils is not sufficient to recognize 
in our soil classification of Jackson county. 

The surface of nearly all of the western portion of the county 
is covered to a depth of from less than two feet to over ten feet, 
with a mantle of extremely silty material which is undoubtedly 
loess. It is extremely silty at the surface, the clay content grad¬ 
ually increasing with depth, and in cuts a laminated structure 
is often observed. This material is supposed to have been de¬ 
posited by action of the wind, following early glacial periods. 
It is extremely fine in texture having a smooth feel like flour. 

At one time this entire western portion of the county was 
doubtless covered with this material, which has been removed 
by erosion in places, especally where the deposit was thin, and 
the underlying sandy material or sand rock was exposed. 

In the survey of Jackson County, the various soil forming 
materials have been classified into ten soil series and nineteen 
soil types, not including peat and rough stony land. In a num¬ 
ber of instances phases of types have been recognized. The soil 
series, which correspond to the family groups, are not shown 
on the map, which accompanies this report, and the series are 
described here only briefly. The individual soil types, however, 
are shown on the map, each being indicated by a distinct color. 
It is the soil types in which we are especially interested since 
the type is the unit in mapping and classifying soils. Following 
is a complete list of the soil types mapped in the county, and 


DESCRIPTION OF AREA. 


17 


the series or family group to which each type belongs. Follow¬ 
ing this general discussion of the soils will be found a full and 
detailed description of all of the types, together with statements 
covering the present uses of the soils and methods through which 
each type can be best improved. 

The soil derived in part from the loessial blanket and partly 
from decomposed shale has been classified as Knox silt loam. 
This is the most extensive soil in southwestern Wisconsin. No 
other type was mapped in this series. 

Along stream valleys throughout the western part of the 
county, seme terraces or benches occur where the soil is rather 
heavy, and where it has been derived from the uplands and re¬ 
deposited by water. There soils are of the Lintonia series, and 
include the silt loam only. 

The Bates series comprises dark-colored upland soils in the 
loessial region where the original timber was thin or sparce and 
where a semi-prairie condition prevailed. The silt loam was 
the only type mapped. 

In the stream bottoms of the western part of the county where 
the soils are dark-colored and rather heavy in texture, the Wa¬ 
bash series has been mapped. The types Wabash silt loam and 
loam were found. 

On many of the slopes in western Jackson County and over 
extensive tracts in the eastern part of the area, the material 
forming the soil has been derived directly from the weathering 
of the Potsdam sandstone. This material has been classified as 
the Boone series, and the types Boone loam, fine sandy loam, fine 
sand, with several phases were indicated on the soil map. 

In a number of places, especially in the north central and 
northeastern portions of the county the Potsdam sandstone 
has a shaly phase associated with it, and from the weathering 
of this material has come the Vesper series of soils. The sur¬ 
face is level, the soils are shallow over the shaly rock, and 
usually contain varying amounts of clayey material in the sub¬ 
soil from the shale, which makes a tight subsoil and poor drain¬ 
age. The types mapped are Vesper silt loam, fine sandy loam, 
and sandy loam. 

Along Black River and its tributaries are extensive tracts of 
alluvial land now found as terraces well above present flood 
flow. The soil is light-colored and light in texture, and has 


18 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


been classified as the Plainfield series. The types mapped are 
Plainfield sandy loam, sand, and fine sand. 

Throughout the eastern portion of the county are numerous 
areas of marsh border soil which are dark-colored, low-lying, 
and naturally poorly drained, and where the soils are of a sandy 
nature, partly residual and partly alluvial, and aways acid. 
These soils are placed in the Dunning series, and have been 
classed as Dunning sand. 

The first bottom light-colored soils subject to annual flooding 
have been classified as Genesse, and the types silt loam, fine sandy 
loam, and fine sand were mapped. Extensive areas of peat were 
also mapped, and this consists of decaying vegetable matter in 
various stages of decomposition, with which there is mixed a 
small amount of fine earth, but seldom enough to permit the 
use of the term Muck. 

The following table shows the actual and relative extent of 
each soil type, and in the following pages of this report each type 
is fully described. 

Areas of Different Soils 


Soil 


Boone fine sand_ 

Level phase_ 

Poorly drained phase.. 

Knox silt loam_ 

Steep phase_ 

Peat ___ 

Shallow phase_ 

Boone fine sandy loam_ 

Rough stony land_ 

Vesper fine sandy loam... 

Dunning sand- 

Plainfield sand- 


Acres 

Per cent 

Soil 

Acres 

Per cent 

111,744 

] 

Boone loam_ 

22,400 

3.5 

14,656 

\ 20.1 

Plainfield fine sand_ 

18,880 

2.9 

2,176 

1 

Wabash silt loam_ 

7,808 

1.2 

73,920 

i 18.9 

Wabash loam_ 

7,488 

1.2 

47,296 


Genesee silt loam_ 

7,296 

1.1 

89,536 

15.7 

Vesper silt loam_ 

4,800 

.8 

10,752 

$ 

Genesee fine sandy loam 

3,072 

.5 

54,400 

8.5 

Bates silt loam_ 

2,624 

.4 

42,496 

6.6 

Lintonia silt loam_ 

2,368 

.4 

40,000 

6.2 

Vesper sandy loam- 

2,308 

.4 

37,888 

5.9 

Plainfield sandy loam.. 

1,536 

.2 

35,136 

5.5 






Total_ 

640,640 














































GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


19 




CHAPTER II 

GROUP OP HEAVY SOILS 

KNOX SILT LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—The Knox silt loam all lies west 
of the Black River. This is an important and extensive type 
of soil in Jackson County, the towns of Melrose, Franklin, Gar¬ 
den Valley, Albion, Irving, Currian, and Northfield being made 
up largely of it. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Knox silt loam consists 
of twelve inches of a grayish-brown or buff-colored silt loam, 
having a friable structure and a smooth feel. While there is 
present a small percentage of fine and very fine sand, but few 
coarser grains are found. The lower portion of the soil usually 
is of a yellowish color, but on drying, the surface becomes ashen 
in appearance. As a whole, the texture of the material is very 
uniform, but varies somewhat in depth. The subsoil consists 
of a heavy, yellow silt loam, grading into a silty clay loam at 
eighteen to twenty inches, and usually becoming a light clioco- 
ate brown color at thirty to thirty-six inches. It is compact, 
and is uniform throughout its entire extent, except as indicated 
in the phase described below. The underlying rock lies from 
four to ten or more feet below the surface. 

The most important variation in this soil has been designated 
as the steep phase on account of its steep slopes and rough, un¬ 
even topography. This phase is described in greater detail 
following the description of the typical soil. 

Minor variations in the typical soil occur, chiefly on the nar¬ 
row ridges, where the surface soil has in places been removed 
and the heavy subsoil exposed. In such places the depth to 
the underlying rock is also less than over the more extensive 
areas of this soil, and in some instances it can be reached with 
a three-foot auger. On some of the lower slopes, the wash from 
the adjoining higher land has accumulated to a small extent, 


20 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


and the surface soil in such places is somewhat deeper than the 
average. On some slopes the soil is somewhat darker in color 
and contains more organic matter than typical. "W hile a num¬ 
ber of such minor variations occur, this soil—as a whole is 
remarkably uniform.' 

Topography and drainage .—The Knox silt loam occupies a 
section of country which consists of a series of hills and ridges. 
The typical Knox silt loam is found occupying the tops of these 
hills and ridges where the surface is nearly level to gently roll¬ 
ing, and also the more gentle slopes where erosion is not a serious 
problem, and where all ordinary farm operations can be carried 
on without difficulty. On the steeper phase, the fields are sub¬ 
ject to erosion, and in some places deep ravines and gullies 
have been formed, causing considerable damage. Practically all 
of this phase can be cultivated, though some of it is sufficiently 
steep to make the operation of farm machinery difficult. Ero- 

i 

sion is the most serious problem to be considered in the cultiva¬ 
tion of the steep phase. On account of the uneven character of 
the surface, the natural drainage is good. The type is quite 
retentive of moisture, and suffers from drought only during long 
dry spells. 

The topography is such that drainage on this soil is almost 
always efficient, and only in isolated spots will the drainage 
ever need to be improved. 

* 

Origin .—The Knox silt loam in Jackson County lies directly 
over sandstone rock which underlies all the ridges and knolls 
at from two to ten feet beneath the surface. The surface soil is 
partly of loessial origin, having been deposited as fine dust by 
winds from the south and west in past geological ages. It is 
often noticeable that slopes which would be exposed to such 
winds are but thinly covered with the silt loam or the soil is 
sandy while in the lee of hills and ridges, the silt loam surface 
soil is often deeper than ordinary. This soil is also derived 
in part from shale associated with the sandstone. 

Most of this soil shows varying degrees of acidity; so much 
so that difficulty in getting alfalfa started will generally be 
experienced unless the soil is limed, heavily manured, and inocu¬ 
lated. 

Native vegetation .—The natural timber on this soil in Jackson 
County consisted mainly of wdiite, black and bur oaks, with 



GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


21 


some white birch, basswood, maple and white pine. Most of 
the soil having fairly level or undulating topography has been 
cleared and cultivated for many years. A large part of the 
steep phase is still timbered as are a few of the more isolated 
forties which are not steep. The timber is mostly second growth 
oaks, poplar, and white birch. 

Present agricultural development .—The principal crops grown 
at the present time and the average yields obtained are as fol¬ 
lows r Corn, 40 to 45 bushels; oats, 35 to 45 bushels; barley, 
30 to 35 bushels; wheat, 20 to 25 bushels; and hay 2 to %y 2 
tons per acre. Oats are grown more extensively than any other 
grain crops. The acreage of barley is smaller than that of oats 
and the acreage devoted to wheat is still less. The quality of 
the small grains grown on the Knox silt loam is excellent, and 
this soil is generally held to be a better grain soil than any of 
the other soils of Jackson County. Corn, on the other hand, 
does not do so well on this type as on the darker-colored soils 
of the Wabash or Bates series, though the crop is successfully 
grown where ever this soil occurs. Most of the grain and corn 
grown is fed to stock on the farms, though elevators at Hixton, 
Fairchild, and Taylor, and numerous grist mills still ship much 
oats and barley and some wheat. Where the land is well farmed, 
but little trouble is experienced in growing clover. When 
the snowfall is light, the alternate freezing and thawing of the 
ground sometimes kills out clover. Pasturage, in general, is 
excellent, being scant only in very dry weather, or on shallow 
slopes or knolls exposed directly to the sun. 

Buckwheat, rye, and sorghum are produced on this soil, but 
their acreage is never large. Alfalfa is successfully grown by 
very few farmers though the acreage will no doubt be gradually 
increased, as the crop provides excellent feed, which is of great 
value, especially to the dairy farmers. Potatoes are grown for 
home use on practically every farm, but seldom on a commer¬ 
cial scale. Tobacco is grown to some extent, but the crop is 
generally grown on lighter soil. Beans and peas are not exten¬ 
sively grown on this type. Garden crops, such as strawberries, 
tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, and cucumbers, and bush berries 
all do well and are grown for home use, but seldom on a com¬ 
mercial scale. 


22 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Fruit growing is not an important industry; though most 
farms have a few fruit trees, and there are a few fairly large 
orchards. 

Farm buildings are generally in good condition, and silos are 
rapidly coming into general use especially in the towns of Al¬ 
bion, Springfield, Hixton, North Bend, and Alma. 

Large numbers of cattle, hogs, and calves are raised and sold 
as a part of the business of dairying. Stock buyers located at 
Fairchild, Black River Falls, Hixton, Taylor, and Humbird 
operate over adjoining territory. 

The rotation of crops most commonly practiced is that of a 
small grain crop with which clover and timothy are seeded, hay 
being cut for two years after which the land is plowed for corn. 

When wheat is grown, it may take the place of the second 
grain crop. Hay may be cut for two years or the field may be 
pastured one year after being cut for hay the first year. On the 
steep slopes corn is sometimes omitted from the rotation because 
the land is more apt to erode when in an intertilled crop than 
when in a grain crop or in grass. The steepest slopes which 
are used are often kept in grass for the greater part of the time, 
though some attempt to cultivate crops on land of this character 
is made. Stable manure is usually applied to the sod to be 
plowed for corn. 

Nearly every farmer produces euough potatoes for home use 
and many have some to sell each year. The yield is usually 
about 150 bushels per acre. The soil is not as well adapted 
to this crop as some of the other types, especially the sandy 
loams, though the quality of the potatoes grown is fair. 

Tobacco was at one time more extensively cultivated than at 
present. It is generally grown on the same field for four years 
in succession, but during the first two or three years the yields 
are best. The fields must be heavily manured, and this is often 
done at the expense of the remainder of the farm. Tobacco 
usually follows potatoes or corn, and is often followed by wheat. 
The yieds secured range from 1,000 to 1,600 pounds per acre. 
Since the crop requires careful attention and considerable labor, 
the acreage devoted to it on any farm is comparatively small. 

Alfalfa is being tried by a few farmers, and some have secured 
a good stand without inoculating the soil. In order to secure 
the best results, however, the soil should be inoculated and liming 
is also necessary, since the type is slightly acid. 


Wis. Geol. and Natural Hist. Survey 


Plate I 



View 


showing 

west 


typical crops and topography in Knox 
of Hixton, Jackson County. This soil 


Silt Loam country north and 
is good grain land. 



Binding grain on a rolling portion of the Knox Silt Loam. Land slightly steepei 
than this is mapped as Steep Phase where measures to prevent 
erosion or washing of the soil are necessary. , 









GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


23 


Trucking and small fruit growing are not carried on to any 
great extent; though the ordinary garden vegetables and berries 
are grown for heme use, and limited quantities are marketed in 
the near-by towns. There are a few small apple orchards, 
though the fruit industry has not received special attention on 
this soil. 

KNOX SILT LOAM-STEEP PHASE 

Extent and distribution .—The steep phase of the Knox silt 
loam occurs in all parts of the county intimately associated with 
the main type, and frequently grades into it in such a way 
as to make the drawing of a definite boundary line difficult. 
It occupies steep slopes generally about the heads of small 
streams heading in the areas above the rough stone land. On 
these slopes, which form the more or less steep sides of the val¬ 
leys, the silt soil is subject to erosion and careful methods are 
often necessary to prevent destructive gulch formations while 
these slopes are under cultivation. When the steep slopes are 
not wooded, or in pasture, or covered by a growing crop to pro¬ 
tect them, the soil washes badly, and ditches are quickly and 
deeply cut into the hillsides. When erosion has once started 
in this way, it is difficult to check; so methods of prevention are 
very important. 

Description .—In general physical appearance and character, 
the soil of the steep phase is essentially like the typical soil, the 
basis of separation being one of topography. As a whole, the 
color and texture of the soil may be slightly lighter than the 
typical soil, and the average depth to rock is less. Because of 
its steep, broken character, this phase has a lower agricultural 
value than the typical soil. 

Drainage .—The natural drainage of the steep phase is good 
except in small areas along the slopes where springs and seeps 
may occur. The greater part of it is so rolling that too large 
a percentage of the rainfall runs off, and crops often suffer from 
lack of moisture. 

Origin .—The Knox silt loam, steep phase, has practically the 
same origin as the typical soil, though as a rule there is less 
depth to bedrock, and chert fragments occur on the surface and 
through the soil mass in greater abundance. 


24 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Native vegetation.— The original timber growth consisted of 
the same trees as on the typical soil, oak predominating. Most 
of the standing timber outside the bottom lands is now found 
on this phase, and on the rough stony land with which it is 
associated, though a considerable proportion of the steep land 
is cleared, and is either in cultivation or pasture land. 

Present agricultural development. —The same crops are 
grown on the steep phase as on the typical soil, but less corn 
and other intertilled crops are grown and more of the land is 
in grass and pasture than on the main type. The ordinary 
yields of all crops are somewhat lower. Because of the steep 
character of the surface, the phase is more difficult to work 
than the typical soil. The steepest portions of the phase are 
now in timber or pasture land, and the remainder is devoted to 
general farming. 

LINTONIA SILT LOAM 

Extent and distribution. —This soil occupies part of the high¬ 
est levels of the terraces bordering the Black and Trempealeau 
Rivers. The soil quite closely resembles the Knox silt loam in 
texture and color, but differs from it in topography, origin, and 
the position which it occupies. 

Description. —The surface soil of the Lintonia silt loam to 
an average depth of ten inches consists of a brownish-gray, 
friable silt loam, which becomes lighter colored on drying and 
frequently has a whitish appearance. The quantity of organic 
matter present in the surface soil is comparatively small, and 
this accounts in part for the light color of the material. A 
slight acid condition has developed in places in the surface soil, 
as indicated by the litmus paper test. The subsoil consists of 
a yellowish-brown or buffcolored silt loam, which usually becomes 
somewhat heavier and more compact with depth, and at twenty- 
four to thirty inches may be a silty clay loam. Below this 
depth there is often a considerable quantity of fine and very 
fine sand, and this mixture extends to a depth of three feet or 
over, and grades into stratified fine sand with layers of gravel 
in the lower depths. 

Topography and drainage— The surface of the Lintonia silt 
loam is usually level or nearly so, frequently having a gentle 
slope toward the stream channels along which it occurs. The 


GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


25 


type occurs as terraces or benches usually rather narrow, but 
extending along the streams for considerable distances. The 
part adjoining the upland rises slowly and frequently grades 
into the Knox silt loam so gradually that the boundary line must 
be arbitrarily placed. As this type is found chiefly at the foot 
of higher lying slopes, which are often very steep, large quan¬ 
tities of water must pass over the terraces during heavy rains, 
and as a result deep ravines are frequently formed. The origi¬ 
nal timber growth consisted chiefly of oak, with some hickory 
and a few other species. Most of the timber has been removed. 
In the ravines there is now a second growth of sumac, hazel, 
and other brush. 

Origin .—The material composing the type is largely of allu¬ 
vial origin and was deposited during glacial periods when the 
melting ice sheets to the north greatly increased the volume 
of water flowing down these rivers. It is probable that the sur¬ 
face material, especially close to the foot of the bluffs, is partly 
colluvial, having been washed down the steep slopes from the 
Knox sit loam areas, which are always found at higher eleva¬ 
tions. 

Present agricultural development .—Practically all the type 
is put to some agricultural use, and most of it is cultivated 
regularly. The crops generally grown and the yields obtained 
are: Corn, 45 to 50 bushels; oats, 25 to 40 bushels; barley, 30 
to 35 bushels; and hay, 1% to 2 tons per acre. Potatoes are 
grown on the type to a small extent for home use, but seldom 
on a commercial scale. The usual rotation consists of corn 
followed by a small grain, either oats or barley, or sometimes 
by one year of each of these crops, and then by clover and tim¬ 
othy mixed, seeded with the grain, the field being cut for hay 
one or two years, before returning to corn. The stable manure 
is usually applied to the sod to be plowed under for the corn 
crops. The methods of cultivation, fertilization, and treatment 
are practically the same as those practiced on Knox silt loam. 
The soil is not difficult to cultivate, and where the areas are 
of sufficient size to form fields or the larger part of a farm, 
this terrace soil may be considered one of the most desirable 
types in the county. 


26 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


BATES SILT LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—This type of soil is all found in 
one locality. It covers four to five square miles of land just 
north and west of the town of Alma Center. The soil is nearly 
level to undulating, occupying part of valley flat and extending 
up adjoining slopes and includes small knolls and elevations. 
There is sufficient fall so that the drainage is generally good, 
although where the land is quite level, the drainage is deficient 
in places. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Bates silt loam to a 
depth of ten to fourteen inches consists of a dark-brown silt 
loam containing a high percentage of organic matter. Its high 
percentage of silt and organic matter gives the soil an extremely 
smooth feel. Litmus paper tests indicate an acid condition over 
most of the type. The subsoil consists of a brown or buff-col- 
ored silt loam, which gradually becomes heavier in texture and 
lighter in color, and at twenty-four to thirty inches consists of 

41 

a yellowish-brown, compact, heavy silt loam or silty clay loam. 
In spots where the drainage is deficient, the subsoil shows a 
slight mottling of light gray or drab. This heavy subsoil ex¬ 
tends to a considerable depth, and the soil section will probably 
average seven to eight feet in thickness. 

Origin .—The silty material composing this type of soil may 
be of residual origin from a shaly phase of the Potsdam sand¬ 
stone formation, or more probably, loessial material. It differs 
from the Knox silt loam principally in its higher organic mat¬ 
ter content. 

Native vegetation .—The type as a whole is generally spoken 
of as “Oak openings” having been originally forested with scat¬ 
tered clumps of large oak trees, while the intervening spaces 
were in a semi-prairie condition, supporting a more or less 
heavy growth of prairie grass. 

The Bates silt loam is one of the desirable types of soil in 
the county. All the general crops grown in the region do well 
on this type, and the average yields of some of the crops are 
higher than on most of the other soils. The soil is especially 
well adapted to corn, on which the ordinary yield is 50 to 60 
bushels per acre. Barley produces 30 to 35 bushels and oats 
40 to 50 bushels per acre. The quality of the small grains is 


GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


27 


not so good as of those grown on the Knox silt loam. Clover 
and timothy produce from 1% to 2 tons per acre, and the pas¬ 
turage is generally excellent. The rotation of crops most gener¬ 
ally followed consists of corn, small grains, and hay. Of the 
small grains, oats is most commonly grown, though barley may 
also be grown in the rotation following the oats. Where the 
acid condition is corrected and the soil inoculated, the alfalfa 
crop promises to do very well. 

Dairying is the chief branch of farming followed, and hog 
raising is carried on quite extensively on many of the dairy 
farms. The buildings and other improvements on this soil are 
as a rule better than the average. Some farms produce beef 
stock in connection with dairy farming. Silos are in quite 
general use. 

VESPER SILT LOAM 

This soil consists of eight to ten inches of grayish brown 
heavy silt loam on yellowish-brown or bluish, or mottled silty 
clay loam subsoil. This subsoil is sticky and retentive of moisture. 
Lenses of fine sand may occur in the clay subsoil and beneath 
this clay, a layer of sand, or sandy clay loam lies at from twenty- 
four to thirty-six inches. The sandy material lies nearest the 
surface on slight knolls while on the flats and depressions, the 
clay subsoil may extend to four feet or more in depth. In a 
few places, shale or sandstone rock is found within three or four 
feet of the surface especially on the slight knolls. On the flats, 
one to three inches of the surface soil may be black with accu¬ 
mulated organic matter. 

This Vesper silt loam covers about five to six square miles of 
land immediately to the north and west of Merrillan. The soil 
is not found in any other part of the county. 

The topography of this soil is level or very slightly sloping. 
Very slight elevations or knolls occur in a few places. These 
have been outlined and indicated by the symbol (R) as rolling 
phase of the type. 

The drainage of the type is generally poor. This is due to 
the combined effects of a sticky clayey subsoil and the level 
topography. The drainage is so defective that cultivated crops 
can seldom be matured on it except in dry season. The slight 
knolls mentioned are well enough drained so that the soil can 
generally be cultivated. Much of the land is retained in perma- 


28 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


nent pasture or hay land. A large part of this soil is still 
timbered or brush covered. The original timber was largely 
pine with some hemlock, hardwood, and oak. Practically all 
the merchantable timber has been removed. The present timber 
consists of oaks, poplar, ash, and birch fifteen to twenty feet 
high. Grass, willow, and alder cover the lower portions. The 
soil is very acid, and a good deal of moss grows on the cleared 
land. 

The crops best adapted to this soil are hay (alsike and tim¬ 
othy), root crops, rye, and oats. Corn for ensilage can gen¬ 
erally be grown and in dry years ripe corn can sometimes be 
produced. Most of the cultivated crops are grown on the 
knolls. Potatoes are grown to some extent as well as buckwheat. 
Yields of all crops except hay are very variable, and depend 
almost entirely upon the character of the season.' 

This land sells for from ten to forty dollars per acre depending 
upon location and improvement. 

The following table gives the mechanical analyses of samples 
of the soil and subsoil of Vesper silt loam.* 

Mechanical Analysis of Vesper Silt Loam 


Number 

Description 

Fine 

gravel 

Coarse 

sand 

Medium 

sand 

Fine 

sand 

Very fine 
sand 

Silt 

Clay 

$ 

212819. 

312820_ 

Soil_ 

Subsoil- 

Per cent 

1.4 

.6 

Per cent 
4.5 
4.4 

. 

t 

Per cent Per cent 
2.5 15.3 

2.9 17.0 

I 

Per cent Per cent 

16.3 41.9 

24.9 33.9 

Per cent 

14.9 

16.2 


* The numbers used to identify these samples are the numbers of the U. S. Bureau of Soils, 
the analyses having been made by the Bureau. 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, FERTILITY AND IMPROVE¬ 
MENT OF HEAVY SOILS 

The heavy soils have a fairly good supply of the mineral 
elements of plant food. The Bates soil as its dark color indi¬ 
cates, is especially well supplied with organic matter, nitrogen 
and a good amount of phosphorus. The lighter colored Knox 
and Lintonia soils are considerably lower in nitrogen and also 
phosphorus. The Vesper soil is fairly well supplied with all 
the essential plant food elements but on account of its acidity 
and lack of efficient drainage, measures to make these stores of 
plant food available for crops are necessary. Average analyses 




























GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


29 


indicate the following amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and 
potassium in these soils in pounds per acre, eight inches deep: 



Nitrogen 

Phosphorus 

Potassium 

Average of Lintonia and Knox silt loams... 

Vesper silt* loam 

1,988 

4,566 

5,340 

820 

1,920 

1,440 

(In pounds) 

33,800 

Bates silt loam .. 

35,200 

• 

• 


It will be seen that there is a good deal of variation in the 
amounts of the plant foods found in these different soils. 

Nitrogen and organic matter .—The light colored Lintonia and 
Knox soils have the smallest amounts of these elements. They 
can best be added to the soil by growing and plowing under 
green crops as clovers and alfalfa. Organic matter added to 
these soils helps prevent erosion or washing away of the soil, 
helps prevent drying out by increasing the water holding capac¬ 
ity of the soil, and enlarges the leaf and stem growth of crops 
giving larger straw on the grain crops and improved yields 
of silage and corn. 

Acidity and liming .—Since all of these soils are medium to 
strongly acid and usually show need of lime, difficulty with 
growing clover and alfalfa may be corrected in part by apply¬ 
ing ground limestone. The soil should be tested before this 
application, and this is done without charge by the University 
Soils Department at Madison. The need for lime as shown 
by the crops should also be considered. It should not be ex¬ 
pected that lime will remedy conditions where the soil lacks 
good underdrainage as is often the case on the Vesper silt loam. 

Phosphorus .—The Knox and Lintonia soils are lowest in the 
supply of this element, and although they are and have been 
the best grain soils in the county, if the farm does not produce 
enough manure to revive the soil where grain is becoming poor, 
small applications of phosphate fertilizer to help out the manure 
will be necessary. Even if the supply of manure is liberal the 
additional use of phosphate fertilizer will usually pay. Lodged 
grain or light yield may be laid in part to an unbalanced ration 
of plant food in the soil and addition of lime and small amounts 
of phosphorus fertilizer often help to remedy this condition. 



















30 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Potassium .—*These soils are all so well supplied with this 
element that no artificial application probably will be needed 
on general farm crops, when manure is used, unless in some 
places on the Vesper soil where the drainage may be improved, 
it may be found necessary to apply some of this fertilizer at 
first until the supplies in the soil become available through 
cultivation and exposure of the soil to the air. 

Crops —fThe Knox and Lintonia soils are best adapted to 
grains and grass and fairly so to corn, while the Bates soil 
produces the best corn and barley. The Vesper soil produces 
hay well (alsike and timothy) and fair oats, rye, and a little 
corn. Methods to improve the surface and underdrainage must 
be worked out to improve yields on this soil. 

In cultivating the Knox silt loam, it should be kept in mind 
that the soil is low in organic matter, and that much of it is 
subject to erosion. The supply of organic matter may be 
increased by supplementing the'stable manure with green crops, 
especially legumes, plowed under. The second crop of clover 
may well be utilized in this way. Erosion may be held in check 
by putting the steepest slopes in grass. When necessary or 
desirable to cultivate the steeper slopes, the plow should be 
run at right angles to the slope. The drainage channel down 
the hillside is sometimes left as a shallow sod ditch, while the 
remainder of the field is cultivated. 

The steep parts of the type should be kept in grass as much, 
as possible, and dairying and stock raising are good lines of 
farming to follow. 

There are many good orchard sites on the Knox silt loam. 
Bushberries, strawberries, etc., do well, and it would seem that 
such fruits might be profitably grown on a commercial scale 
since much of the type is within easy reach of shipping points, 
shipping points. The growing of apples has been developed in 
these and it is believed that apples could be successfully grown 
on a larger scale in Jackson county than at present. 

*For more information on commercial fertilizers and their uses see 
page 73. 

tFor more data on crop rotation, etc., see page 64. 



31 


GEOUP OF MEDIUM HEAVY SOILS. 


CHAPTER III 

GROUP OF MEDIUM HEAVY SOILS 

BOONE LOAM 

Extent and distribution. —This soil is a gradation between 
the loessial Knox silt loam and the more largely residual Boone 
fine sandy loam. This soil is generally distributed over the 
western half of the county, and occupies gently undulating 
secondary slopes or nearly level areas lying between the higher 
land of heavier soil and the streams border areas of fine sand 
or fine sandy loam. The soil usually lies on a valley slope. 
This type covers a total area of 22,400 acres. 

Description. —The Boone loam consists of a grayish-brown 
loam or very fine sandy loam eight to ten inches deep on a yellow¬ 
ish-brown loam or sticky clayey sandy loam subsoil. The sub¬ 
soil is variable, being generally a compact sandy loam on the 
knolls and a heavy loam or sandy clay loam on the slopes and 
the level areas. In some cases sand or sandstone is found at less 
than three feet on knolls, but in most cases the heavy subsoil 
extends beyond the reach of a forty inch auger. 

Topography and drainage. —The drainage of the soil is nearly 
always good due to the generally sloping or undulating topog¬ 
raphy. The only exceptions are in the drainage ways, or bor¬ 
dering lower ground where small areas of the soil may be in¬ 
sufficiently drained at times. 

Present agricultural development. —The Boone loam is a valu¬ 
able soil, and is highly developed farm land. Practically all 
of it is under cultivation. Dairying and general farming are 
practiced on this soil. The crops grown include oats, barley, 
clover, corn, and some potatoes, wheat and root crops. 

Yields of crops are about as follows: Corn, 50 to 70 bushels; 
oats, 30 to 40 bushels; wheat, 25 to 30 bushels; barley, 20 to 30 
bushels per acre. Clover does well but often freezes out in 
winter. Improved land sells for from sixty to ninety dollars 
an acre depending on its location, improvement, etc. 


/ 


32 


SOIL PURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


BOONE FINE SANDY LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—The Boone fine sandy loam is an 
important and fairly extensive type of soil in this county, cov¬ 
ering a total of 54,400 acres. Considerable areas of this soil 
are found in the towns of Cleveland, Hixton, Alma, Springfield 
in the western part of the county, and also in the vicinity of 
Shamrock in the southern part. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Boone fine sandy loam 
to an average depth of eight to ten inches consists of a grayish- 
brown fine sandy loam, which in some places contains a consid¬ 
erable quantity of medium sand. The quantity of organic mat¬ 
ter present is not large, and a slightly acid condition is found 
to exist over most of the type. The subsoil consists of a brown 
to yellowish-brown fine to medium sandy loam, which usually 
extends to a depth of over three feet. 

Both soil and subsoil of this type are subject to considerable 
variation, though none of the variations are found of sufficient 
extent or importance to be mapped as a phase, except the more 
rolling tracts which are usually shallow. 

Outcrops of sandstone are not uncommon, although they are 
not extensive and seldom interfere to any marked extent with 
cultivation. The depth to the underlying rock is variable, and 
while it averages over three feet, there are places on the tops 
of ridges and on knolls where there may be as little as two or 
three inches of soil. There are also places over gently rolling 
tracts where the soil has a depth of only two or three feet, but 
such areas are not extensive. 

Topography and drainage .—This soil generally occupies the 
intermediate slopes lying between the high ridge lands and the 
sandy flats bordering some of the streams. The topography is 
generally gently undulating to rolling, some larger areas being 
nearly level, and some portions near the ridges and rough stony 
land having a fairly rolling surface. 

Generally this soil withstands erosion well, both because the 
soil can absorb much water quickly and because the surface is 
generally not very rolling. In a few cases, erosion has gotten 
beyond control and bad ditches and ravines have been formed. 
Samples of these big ditches may be found along the Pine Hill 
Road two miles west of Shamrock. 


VVis. Geol. and Natural Hist. Survey 


Plate II 



View of Wildcat Mound. Sandstone ridges are included with the Rough Stony Land 
type. Black Dunning marsh border soil in foreground and Tama¬ 
rack peat swamp in the rear, bordering mound. 



Topography and vegetation typical of the Boone fine sandy loam. Sandstone 

ridge of Rough Stony Land in rear. 













GROUP OF MEDIUM. HEAVY SOILS. 


33 


On account of the sandy character of the soil and the surface 
.features, the natural drainage of this type is excellent. Where 
the soil is shallow and where the slopes are steep, the type 
frequently suffers from lack of sufficient moisture, though as 
a whole it retains moisture fairly well. 

Origin .—The original Boone fine sandy loam is largely resid¬ 
ual having been derived from the weathering of the Potsdam 
sandstone, and from a shaly phase of this formation. On some 
of the slopes, it is probable that some of the sandy material has 
been moved short distances down the slope by washing. Where 
there is silty material incorporated with the soil, it is probable 
that a part of this has been washed down from higher lying silt 
loam types. Thus it will be seen that the type may also be partly 
of colluvial origin, although this phase is of minor importance. 
In a few places, sand dumes have been formed, but these are 
also of small extent. The original timber growth consisted 
partly of black and scrub oak covering the shallow knolls and 
the lighter portions of type. 

Native vegetatio?i .—On the heavier portions there was some 
birch and maple. Sumac, hazel brush, poplar, and wild cherry 
form the second growth in uncultivated places. 

Present agricultural development .—By far the greater propor¬ 
tion of the type is put to some form of agricultural use, and 
most of it is cultivated. The wooded portion is confined chiefly 
to the steeper slopes and shallow knolls, which are covered mainly 
with small oak. As is the case with the county as a whole, 
most of the type is devoted to general farming, with dairying 
as the most important branch. In connection with dairying 
quite a number of hogs are raised. 

The chief crops grown and the ordinary yields are as follows: 
Corn, 40 to 50 bushels; oats, 30 to 40 bushels; barley, 35 to 40 
bushels; and hay from one to two tons per acre. Some rye is 
also grown, and it gives fair yields. On some of the level por¬ 
tions of the type some farmers report an increasing difficulty 
in getting a good stand of clover. Others on the gently rolling 
phase report no trouble whatever, no clover having been lost in 
the last seven or eight years. Very fine stands of clover appear 
on some of the lighter portions of the type, even though the soil 
showed indications of acidity in response to the litmus paper 
test. 


34 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


When the county was first settled, wheat was grown exten¬ 
sively on this soil, but very little is now produced. It is con¬ 
sidered a fair corn soil, and the yields are practically the same 
as on the Knox silt loam. Potatoes can be grown successfully, 
though the acreage is not large. 

The rotation of crops most commonly practiced consists of 
corn, followed by oats or barley, with which clover and timothy 
are seeded. Hay is cut for one or two years, and the field may 
be pastured for a year before being again plowed for corn. 
Cultivation of this soil is not difficult, and a lighter class of 
implements and stock can be used than on the silt loam type. 

The selling price of land of this type is quite variable, depend¬ 
ing upon location, character of the surface, texture of the soil, 
and improvements. In the most favorable locations, the gently 
sloping and nearly level portions of the type sell for sixty to 
one hundred dollars an acre. The rougher places which are 
more distantly removed from towns are held at twenty-five to 
fifty dollars an acre. 

VESPER FINE SANDY LOAM 

(.Including Vesper Loam) 

The Vesper fine sandy loam is an extensive type of soil. It 
lies in the east end of the county in a compact body three to 
five miles wide extending from the vicinity of Merrillan east 
to City Point. 

The surface soil consists of six to ten inches of grayish-brown 
fine sandy loam. On some places, the surface one-half inch is 
dark brown or black due to more organic matter in it. The 
subsoil is a yellowish or mottled fine sandy loam or fine sand. 
At from twelve to thirty inches deep the subsoil becomes a stiff 
compact, mottled, or bluish sandy clay loam or clay. This tight 
clay layer varies from two to twelve inches in thickness beneath 
which again is found sand, sandstone or shale rock. The rock 
generally lies at about twenty-four inches beneath the slight 
knolls while on the flats and lower ground, the surface soil is 
generally somewhat sandier than usual, the clay layer thicker 
and the rock lies at greater depths. 

The topography varies from flat to gently undulating. In a 
few places, bordering streams, the land is more rolling, but this 
condition is not at all extensive. The drainage of this soil is 



HBOUP OF MEDIUM HEAVY SOULS. 


35 


deficient. Because of the heavy clay layer and the shale rock 
beneath it, the rain water cannot penetrate deeply into the soil. 
The result is a soggy, cold condition of the land till late in the 
season each spring. This is liable to be true even on gentle 
slopes. The drainage is better in a few instances on small knolls 
and bordering the stream courses, and these places are where 
crops are most successfully grown. The drainage of Sections 
4, 5, 9, 19, 12, 14 (Township 22, Range 1 West) is better than 
the average as they border the East Fork of Black River. 

The Vesper fine sandy loam is largely brush covered. The 
original white and Norway pine timber has all been removed 
and outside of a few oaks and Jack pine, there is very little 
large timber. Poplar, birch, Jack pine and oak brush cover 
most of the land. Willow, alder, mess, and sweet fern grow 
on the lower portions. 

In origin this soil is largely residual from the underlying 
sandstone and shale. 

Only a small proportion of the type is improved, and the 
land has a comparatively low selling value. By many it is 
considered as having limited possibilities, but demonstrations 
which have been made with the use of lime and with phosphate 
fertilizers seem to show that with drainage this soil can be 
made to produce profitable crops. Yields of corn of 60 bushels 
per acre are known to have been obtained. 

For a discussion of the methods best suited for the improve¬ 
ment of this soil see page 36. 

The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of 
samples of the soil, subsurface, and subsoil of the Vesper fine 
sandy loam: 


Mechanical Analysis of Vesper Fine Sandy Loam 


Number 

Description 

Fine 

gravel 

Coarse 

sand 

Medium 

sand 

Fine 

sand 

Very fine 

sand Silt 

Clay 

SI2809. 

812810. 

812810a.... 

Soil. 

Subsurface- 
Subsoil— 

Per cenl 
0.2 
.4 
.6 

Per cen 
2.2 
1.4 
1.0 

Per cen, 

4.4 

4.3 

.8 

Per cent 
05.8 
69.7 
16.1 

Per cev 1 

11.8 

11.7 

21.7 

Per ceni 

11.2 

8.8 

29.0 

Per cent 

4.3 

3.8 

80.9 
































36 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF THE MEDIUM HEAVY 

SOILS 

These soils vary in the content of plant food as shown by the 
chemical analyses. In general the loams are better supplied 
with prosphorus and nitrogen than are the fine sandy loams. 
The latter possess about 1,500 to 1,700 pounds of nitrogen per 
acre eight inches deep while the loams have from 500 to 700 
pounds more. The fine sandy loams show about 800 pounds of 
phosphorus while the loams have about 1,000 pounds an acre, 
eight inches. 

Potassium is present in considerable amounts in all the soils, 
varying from 20,000 to 40,000 pounds an acre, eight inches. The 
acidity ranges from slight to strong. 

The need for lime is most marked in the Vesper fine sandy 
loam and to a somewhat less degree in the Boone fine sandy loam. 
This group of soils is adapted to a variety of crops and with 
the exception of the Vesper fine sandy loam, which is naturally 
deficient in drainage they produce good crops of corn, potatoes, 
oats, alsike clover and timothy and some tobacco. 

It is more difficult to keep up the content of organic matter 
in these soils than in the heavier silt loams. Lime will be 
needed on all of the types when alfalfa is to be grown and 
may be required to insure a good stand of clover. (See p. 
for discussion on liming.) 

The use of acid phosphate will in most cases prove to be profit¬ 
able. This applied broadcast to grain crop seeded to clover 
will not only increase the grain crop but will aid in insuring a 
good growth of clover or alfalfa which in turn will increase 
the organic matter and nitrogen content of the soil (For dis¬ 
cussion of commercial fertilizer see page ). 

On the Vesper fine sandy loam tile drainage is needed since 
this soil is too wet much of the time for most crops to do well. 
Tiling is made more difficult by the presence of the blue shale 
clay and shale rock layers at varying depth in the subsoil. 
Knolls and rolling areas in this soil produce good crops. 

In the improvement of the type drainage is the first step. 
The soil is low in organic matter and phosphorus and is in need 
of lime, but the supply of potassium is large and this high po¬ 
tassium content appears to be general. With proper drainage 
and fertilization together with the use of lime, this soil offers 
good opportunities for agricultural development. 


GBOTJP OF SANDY SOILS. 


37 


CHAPTER IV 
GROUP OF SANDY SOILS 

BOONE FINE SAND 

Extent and distribution .—The Boone fine sand is widely dis¬ 
tributed over nearly all parts of Jackson county. It occurs 
wherever the loessial or wind-blown silty blanket of soil failed 
to cover the sandstone, or where the silt surface has since been 
removed by erosion. In the east half of the county this soil 
covers the greater part of the upland. In the western part 
this soil is confined largely to the valleys and slopes surrounding 
the sandstone ridges and outcrops. Pine, Low and Tank Creek 
valleys in the towns of Hixton and Albion have much of this 
soil. 

Description .—The soil of the Boone fine sand, to an average 
depth of six inches, consists of a brown or yellowish fine sand, 
in the surface inch or two of which there is a very small amount 
of organic matter. The soil is loose and open, and is occasion¬ 
ally blown into small dunes by the wind. Sandstone fragments 
and some chert may occur upon the surface and be mixed with 
the soil. The subsoil consists of a fine yellow sand, which con¬ 
tains fragments of sandstone and chert, and usually grades into * 
disintegrated sandstone or into the solid rock at two to ten feet. 
The texture may become coarser as the rock is approached. The 
underlying rock frequently outcrops. The depth to rock is 
variable and ranges from one foot to five or six feet. Where 
the depth is greatest, rock fragments are seldom found; where 
the soil is shallow, they may be very plentiful. As a rule, the 
soil is thinner in the hill country than in a flat region. The 
subsoil may have a reddish-brown color, but the type as a whole 
is quite uniform, and what variations occur are of minor impor¬ 
tance. 

Topography and drainage .—The topography of this soil varies 
from very gently sloping to rolling. On the larger areas of 


38 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


the soil, the surface is undulating for the most part, the rolling- 
topography occurring only in the vicinity of the sandstone 
mounds and ridges. Some of this soil is nearly level and in the 
east end of the county the areas of level topography are out¬ 
lined as a level phase of the Boone fine sand. The level areas 
outlined occur mainly in the towns of Bear Bluff, Knapp and 
City Point. 

The surface soil has in places been blown into low dunes. 
On account of the loose, open character of the soil and subsoil 
the natural drainage is excessive, and crops usually suffer from 
drought during a portion of every season. On account of the 
surface features and the loose, open character of both soil and 
subsoil, the natural drainage is excessive and the type is 
droughty. None of the slopes are sufficiently steep to make the 
prevention of erosion an important factor in the management of 
this soil. 

Origin .—In origin the Boone fine sand is largely residual, 
having been derived from the weathering of Potsdam sandstone. 
There is but little organic matter present, and such a small 
quantity of silt and clay that the loose surface material is 
readily blown by the wind, and in a number of places low sand 
dunes have been formed. The material composing the type is 
in an acid condition, as indicated by the litmus paper test. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber growth on this type 
consisted chiefly of Norway and Jack pine and scattered scrubby 
oak. Coarse grasses and sand burs are also found growing on 
the type, although there are a number of places where the sur¬ 
face is bare of vegetation, and the soil is now drifting. 

Present agricultural development .—The Boone fine sand is 
one of the most extensive types of soil in Jackson County. 
While a large part of it occurring in the western part of the 
county with soils of greater agricultural value is used for some 
agricultural purpose, a very large part of the soil in the east 
half of the county is not cultivated. Large areas remain covered 
with brush. Bushes or small trees and portions once cultivated 
have been abandoned in many cases. Perhaps fifteen to twenty- 
five percent of this soil is cultivated or used for some agricul¬ 
tural purpose. The presence of better types of soil in the vicin¬ 
ity always encourages the cultivation of this soil, but where this 


GROUP OF SANDY SOILS. 


39 


soil occurs exclusively in large areas, agriculture does not thrive 
notably on it. 

Good yields of crops adapted to the soil are often produced 
in favorable seasons where the land is properly cultivated. 
Such crops as corn, rye, buckwheat, beans, cucumbers, tobacco 
and clover are grown on this soil in different parts of the county. 
Special crops succeed best on this soil because of its easy culti¬ 
vation, but the land can be very quickly run down and crop 
yields greatly reduced where methods for keeping up the soil 
fertility are not used. 

Dairy farming is at a disadvantage unless the stock can 
range over a large area of land, or in case the farm includes 
bottom land or heavy soil for pasturage, for this soil furnishes 
scant pasturage during the dry parts of the summer months. 

Tobacco and beans are grown on this soil mainly in the val¬ 
leys west of Black River in the towns of Springfield, Northfield, 
Albion, and Curran. Cucumbers are grown in the towns of 
Brockway, Alma, and Komensky. 

The chief crops grown and the average yields obtained during 
the most favorable seasons are as follows: Corn, 15 to 20 
bushels; oats, 15 to 20 bushels; rye, 12to 15 bushels; buckwheat, 
10 to 12 bushels; and potatoes, 50 to 100 bushels per acre. 

The yields of crops vary greatly on this soil, depending partly 

on the location of the land, the kind of season, and in part on 

how the land is handled. The best yields are generally obtained 

where this land lies in such a position that it does not dry out 

too readily in the summer months, such as on a north slope or 

at the base of a slope where run-off and seepage of the rainfall 

tend to keep the soil moist and still not too wet. Best yields 

are also obtained where small patches of this soil are surrounded 

% 

on the farm by heavier soil. On such places, the farmer seems 
to have more manure to spare for the light soil, and he often 
has better success with clover. A slightly more compact sub¬ 
soil than normal is sometimes found in such locations as de¬ 
scribed above. 

Very good yields of mammoth clover are sometimes obtained 
on this soil, and in a number of places clover for seed is regu¬ 
larly grown. Some farmers find that spring sown clover with 
oats does better than with fall sown rye on this soil. In other 
locations where this soil is extensive, clover is practically never 


40 


BOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


grown and a good catch is very difficult to obtain. From $150 
to $250 worth of tobacco an acre, from $100 to $150 worth of 
cucumbers, from eight to ten bushels of white beans, and from 
90 to 125 bushels of potatoes are some of the yields of special 
crops reported in favorable seasons. The special crops are sub¬ 
ject to frosts and total failures sometimes result from this cause 
as well as from dry weather. From one to three or four acres 
per farm is generally the limit of acreage where these special 
crops are grown, although on a few farms much larger acre¬ 
ages are grown. 

The most successful farmers on this soil raise a small acreage 
of special crops and for general crops, they grow mainly rye, 
corn or buckwheat and generally are able to grown enough oats 
for their own use. In some cases a three year rotation of rye 
or oats with clover first year, hay and pasture second year, corn 
third year is practiced. Where clover is seldom if ever grown 
and farm manure is scarce a portion of the land is allowed to 
lie fallow about one year in three. Very little commercial 
fertilizer is used except by some of the cucumber growers. To¬ 
bacco fields are usually heavily manured and farm manure is 
the main fertilizer used. 

BOONE FINE SAND 

(Poorly Drained Phase) 

In Sections 23, 26, 34, 35 in Town 22 North, range 3 AV, three 
or four miles south of Hatfield, there is an area of several square 
miles of low lying upland soil which has rather poor drainage, 
and which is separated from the typical Boone fine sand as a 
poorly drained phase. This soil is somewhat variable, but in 
the main, consists of a rather dark, medium to fine sand with 
a subsoil which is yellow or sometimes mottled. There is no 
shallow or heavy layer of clay in the subsoil, although sand¬ 
stone rock is sometimes found at three or four feet below the 
surface. In a few instances a small amount of sticky material 
was found in the lower depths. 

A part of this land is cultivated and gives fair yields, espe¬ 
cially during the drier years. 

There is another small area of this type lying in Sections 13 
and 24 about one and one-half miles east of Black River Falls. 
A considerable portion of this area is also under cultivation, 


GROUP OF SANDY SOILS. 


41 


and in improved farm land. Over both of these tracts, the 
surface is level to very slightly undulating. On the slight eleva¬ 
tions, the surface is lighter colored and better drained than the 
lower areas. During wet years there is sometimes an excess of 
moisture, but during dry season, this soil is much better sup¬ 
plied with moisture than the typical Boone fine sand. Because 
of this condition and the presence of clay in deep subsoil, this 
phase is considered to be a better soil than the typical Boone 
fine sand, and one which is capable of being more highly im¬ 
proved. 

PLAINFIELD SAND 

FJxtent and distribution .—The Plainfield sand is located on 
fiat-topped benches or terraces which rise abruptly from the 
Black River, and extend back to the high bluff land on either 
side. In places there are several levels or steps of from fifteen 
to forty feet elevation each up from the river bottom to the 
land of the highest terrace on which the residence portion of 
the city of Black River Falls stands. This terrace level extends 
several miles eastward along Morrison and Levis Creeks and 
narrows again to a narrow bench above Hatfield in Clark county. 
In the southern end of the county, only narrow strips of this 
soil are found in or bordering the river bottom. Narrow strips 
of this soil are found in Trempealeau and Beef River valleys 
also. 

Description .—The typical soil of the Plainfield sand consists 
of a yellowish-brown sand of medium texture extending to an 
average depth of eight to ten inches. The structure of the soil 
is loose and open, and there is present a considerable amount of 
iron, which gives the rusty color and a slight loaminess in places. 
It also carries a small amount of organic matter, but the color 
indicates a higher content than actually exists. A little gravel 
is seen upon the surface in some places, and a small amount of 
fine gravel is mixed with the soil. The subsoil consists of a 
yellow medium sand, which usually becomes coarser in texture 
with increased depth. The subsoil always contains more gravel 
than the surface soil. Where the subsoil contains considerable 
iron, as is the case in spots where the drainage has been im¬ 
peded for any reason, the material has a brownish or sometimes 
a reddish color, but this usually fades as the depth increases. 


42 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Topography and drainage.—The topography of this soil is 
level, the only variations being where streams have cut across 
the terraces to the river bottom or at the abrupt rises from one 
terrace level to another. Where specially marked, the terrace 
intervals are indicated by cross-lining over the color represent¬ 
ing this soil. 

Because of its generally loose and open character and the 
porous condition of the subsoil, this soil is generally well 
drained, and water passes through it so readily that crops are 
liable to suffer for lack of water in any spell of dry weather. 

Present agricultural development .—This soil is an extensive 
type in the central part of the county. Large parts of it remain 
uncultivated. The cultivated portion is occupied largely by 
Polish people or Indians who cultivate small tracts. The vege¬ 
tation of the uncultivated portions consists of small scrubby 
oak, Jack and Norway pine, poplar, birch, oak, cherry. Sweet 
fern and blueberry brush cover the ground. 

From twenty to thirty per cent of the type has been cleared 
and cultivated at one time, but a considerable number of 
farms have been abandoned, and no crops are being grown upon 
them at the present time. The chief crops grown at the pres¬ 
ent time and the yields secured during the most favorable years 
are as follows: Corn, 15 to 25 bushels; oats, 20 to 25 bushels; 
buckwheat, 12 to 16 bushels ; and potatoes, 100 to 150 bushels 
per acre. Potatoes form the chief cash crop, and do better 
than any of the other crops grown. 

In a few cases white beans are grown on this soil, and the 
yield is as high as ten bushels per acre in favorable seasons. 
Cucumbers are grown to some extent in the vicinity of Hatfield. 
The yields of all crops vary greatly with character of the season, 
and the treatment given the soil. Under most favorable condi¬ 
tions, very fair yields of clover and of mixed alsike clover and 
rye hay are obtained; frequently fair corn is grown. But the 
failures of crops are frequent on this soil, and because of the 
poor pasture afforded, this soil is not well adapted to dairy or 
general farming. 

Some of the Polish farmers maintain a considerable number 
of young stock by grazing them over large areas of this brushy 
undeveloped soil, and on the flat shallow marshes which lie at 
the borders of this type of soil. It is very difficult, however, 



VVis. Geol. and Natural Hist. S 


Plate III 


urvey 



View showing the topography and vegetation conditions in the sand and marsh 
country in the east end of Jackson county. Marsh grass in the fore¬ 
ground, willows and tamarack clump in background. 



VIEW OF CORN ON PLAINFIELD SAND. 

This shows about an average crop where no fertilizers have been used. The stand 
was fair but the corn was short, and the yield low. 








GEO VP OF SANDY SOILS. 


43 


to raise enough feed on this soil to keep any considerable num¬ 
ber of cattle through the long winters. 

Land is very cheap on most of this soil type. From six to 
fifteen dollars an acre represents the selling price of much of it. 
In the Trempealeau and Beef River valleys the soil is somewhat 
higher priced due to the presence of better soils in the vicinity. 

PLAINFIELD FINE SAND 

Extent and distribution. —This soil is practically all confined 
to the areas bordering Robinson Creek in the townships of Man¬ 
chester and Millston. Like the Plainfield sand, this soil occupies 
the highest terrace level along the Black River valley and extends 
back in a practically level plane eastward to Millston. The 
texture of the soil seems to be slightly coarser at the east end 
than at the west end of the area, but no definite boundary can 
well be established as the change is not uniform nor distinct. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Plainfield fine sand con¬ 
sists of a brownish-gray or yellowish loose fine sand extending 
to a depth of about eight inches. The surface two inches con¬ 
tains more organic matter, making it a brown or dark brown 
in its virgin state. This is underlain by a yellow loose, fine 
sand which extends to a depth below the reach of the soil auger. 
In texture, structure, and color this type is quite similar to the 
Boone fine sand, but differs from that type in origin and topog¬ 
raphy. Like the Boone fine sand, it contains only a very small 
quantity of organic matter, and is in an acid condition. 

Native vegetation .—Only a small part of this soil is under 
cultivation, the farms on it being confined to a small group near 
Shamrock, near Millston, and at the Sandy Plains School in the 
center of the area. The great majority of the soil is covered 
with a second growth of Jack and Norway Pines, oak, poplar, 
white birch, and hazel brush. A few large white pines in the 
vicinity of Millston are the only remnants of an original Nor¬ 
way and White Pine forest covering the area. 

Present agricultural development. —There are only a few 
farms under regular cultivation on this soil, and the farming 
is not of a very progressive kind. The farms are small and 
considerable parts of the cleared area lie fallow or abandoned 
where once cultivated. The crops grown consist of rye, corn, 


44 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


buckwheat, and potatoes. Where grass marshes and stream 
bottom land adjoin this soil, it is possible to keep young stock 
and a few dairy cows. The soil is subject to drought, and does 
not support a good quality of pasture when dry spells occur 
in the summer season. 

In favorable seasons on new ground corn yields 20 to 
25 bushels, rye 15 bushels, oats 20 bushels. Beans and 
cucumbers are grown by some of the farmers. The raising 
of special cash crops is limited because of the hauling 
distance to the railroad and the sandy roads. Potatoes yield 
100 to 125 bushels. Wild land sells for from five xo ten dollars 
an acre; improved land for from twenty to twenty-five dollars. 

PLAINFIELD SANDY LOAM 

The Plainfield sandy loam is a brown sandy loam sixteen to 
eighteen inches deep, resting on a subsoil which becomes lighter 
in color, and if anything a little lighter in texture with depth, 
and passes usually at about thirty inches into a yellowish sand. 
The lower part of the soil section thus resembles that of the 
Plainfield sand. 

In Squaw Creek Valley this soil is reddish or chocolate- 
colored in places, indicating the presence of a great deal of iron 
due to a formerly poorly drained condition. This soil is not 
an extensive one. It is associated with the Plainfield sand soil, 
and includes several small areas bordering the river bottom or 
tributary streams south of Black River Falls. 

This type has the same origin as the Plainfield types, and also 
supports about the same scrubby growth. 

From an agricultural standpoint, it is somewhat better than 
the sand type, but yields are lower, and special care is needed 
in cultivating and fertilizing this type. 

VESPER SANDY LOAM 

This soil is mapped chiefly south and east of Merrillan, and 
covers a total of about three square miles of area. 

The surface soil is variable, running from a fine sand and 
sandy loam to a sticky, clayey sandy loam. The subsoil at six 
to twenty-four niches is a mottled or bluish clay loam, contain¬ 
ing sandstones or shale fragments of small size. In some cases, 


GROUP OF SANDY SOILS 


45 


white sand or sandstone rock lies at thirty to thirty-six inches, 
but generally the soil is over three feet deep. 

The topography is nearly level and the drainage is often defi¬ 
cient both because of the level topography and the impervious 
subsoil. Where the surface soil is more sandy, and the sub¬ 
soil clay layer lies at twenty-four to thirty inches or below this 
soil is not too wet to raise fair crops. Several small clearings 
are cutivated and corn, beans, potatoes, and rye are grown. 

Most of the soil is uncleared, and the vegetation consists of 
oak, poplar, jack pine, and willow brush. Moss and leather leaf 
cover the surface of the ground. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF SANDY 

SOILS 

The sandy soils are generally lower in content of phosphorus 
and nitrogen than the heavier soils. The fine sands and sandy 
loams are somewhat better supplied than the sands. Per acre, 
eight inches of soil, the sands have from 900 to 1,000 pounds of 
nitrogen, and about four hundred pounds of phosphorus, while 
the fine sands and sandy loams have from 1,400 to 1,600 pounds 
of nitrogen, and five hundred to eight hundred pounds of phos¬ 
phorus. The potassium amounts to from twenty to twenty- 
five thousand pounds per acre. 

In some respects sandy soils have advantages over heavier 
soils. They become drier and therefore warmer and can be 
worked earlier in the spring and more quickly after rains than 
heavier soils. These advantages are particularly important in 
regions of short growing periods. But when the soil is too 
sandy it does not hold sufficient water from one rainfall to 
another to satisfy the needs of the growing crops and it there¬ 
fore suffers from drought. Moreover, some sandy soils are 
lower in their supply of the chemical elements demanded by 
crops than heavier soils. When these two factors become too 
low they limit the profitable farming of these soils. In the 
mapping of the Soil Survey those soils which are classed as 
sandy loams have fairly good water holding capacity, and when 
their fertility is properly maintained their good qualities in 
regard to warmth and earliness can be taken advantage of and 
they can be farmed with profit. But soils which are classified 
as sands and some of the fine sands do not have sufficient water 


46 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


holding capacity and their use for the growth of staple crops 
is ordinarily unprofitable, unless unusual skill is used in their 
management. It must be kept distinctly in mind, however, that 
all types as mapped show some variation in texture or fineness 
of grain. The chief factor limiting their agricultural use is 
that of water holding capacity. This depends chiefly on the 
texture or fineness of grain and can not be affected by any 
treatment it is practicable to give them. The water holding 
capacity can be somewhat increased by increasing the amount 
of organic matter, but this is a comparatively slow process 
and the amount of organic matter it is practicable to develop 
and maintain in these soils will increase their water holding 
capacity only to a limited extent. 

When a sufficient supply of active organic matter is devel¬ 
oped in these soils more of the phosphorus and potassium will 
undoubtedly be made available, but the use of fertilizers con¬ 
taining these elements in a more readily available form is de¬ 
sirable whenever these soils are farmed. 

The starting point in the improvement of these soils is the 
development of active organic matter through the growth of 
legumes which are able to secure their nitrogen supply from 
the atmosphere. But before legumes can be grown with the 
greatest success the liming of the soil is necessary. The growth 
of a good crop of mammoth clover or soj^beans through the use 
of lime and mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and 
potassium is the best means of supplying this nitrogen and or¬ 
ganic matter. In most cases this legume should be plowed 
under as a green manuring crop. 

Probably the best way to get clover started is to seed with a 
small grain. By using a light seeding of rye, disked or har¬ 
rowed in and seeded to clover in the spring, a good stand can 
usually be secured. The seed should be put in a little deeper 
than on heavy soils, and the drill should be followed by a corru¬ 
gated roller, or if this implement is not at hand, an ordinary 
roller, followed by a light harrow should be used. When clover 
is seeded with a small grain in this way the growing grain helps 
to hold the soil in place and prevent blowing of the loose soil 
by the wind. 

As the result of careful experiments on extremely sandy soils 
it appears that the best crop rotation for this class of land 


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FIELD OF RYE ON PLAINFIELD SAND AT HANCOCK, WISCONSIN. 




















GROUP OF SANDY SOILS 


47 


consists of rye, clover, and corn. If the fertility is extremely 
low, it will be advisable to plow under the entire clover crop. 
If the fertility is fair the first crop may be cut for hay and the 
second plowed under. While potatoes are quite extensively 
grown on these extremely sandy soils this crop is not as well 
adapted to the sand soils as to sandy loam types. It has been 
shown by actual field tests that the yields of corn, for example, 
can be more readily increased on the sand soil than can the 
yield of potatoes. The potato when grown on sand soils does 
not respond to methods of soil improvement as readily as when 
grown on soils which contain somewhat more silt and clay. The 
sandy loams and fine sands and fine sandy loams are much bet¬ 
ter adapted to potato culture than are the sand soils. It is 
therefore advisable to reduce, where possible, the acreage of 
potatoes on sand soils. 

With an increased acreage of corn it will be possible to put 
up enough silage so silage may be used for summer feeding. 
With this practice less pasture will be required, and this again 
will be desirable since the sand soils do not supply good grazing, 
and are not well adapted to any of the grasses. This system 
would make possible keeping more stock, and with the increased 
supply of manure the fertility of the land could be more readily 
maintained. 

When properly managed alfalfa can be successfully grown 
on very sandy soils. For further information on the manage¬ 
ment of soils, see Bui. 299, Wis. Exp. Sta. 



48 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


CHAPTER Y 

GROUP OF SOILS LACKING GOOD DRAINAGE 

DUNNING SAND 

Extent and distribution .—The Dunning sand is confined to 
the sandy portion of the county east of Black River, and in 
mapping, it was frequently made to include some of the land 
lying between the marshes and the Boone fine sand. The soil 
is not all black and not all distinctly flat marsh border land. 
Small areas of higher land where the drainage is poor, and 
where grass swales and depressions are too numerous to sep¬ 
arate, w T ere included in this type. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Dunning sand consists 
of brown to nearly black, medium, or fine sand six to twelve 
inches deep, containing a high percentage of organic matter, 
wdiich imparts to the soil its dark color. The subsoil consists 
of a grayish or whitish fine to medium sand, which has a leached 
or washed appearance, and extends to a depth beyond three 
feet. In places, the subsoil is stained by iron oxide and bluish 
mottling is not uncommon. The depth of the surface soil varies, 
but in other particulars the type is uniform. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the soil is always 
low and generally level. It is very little higher than the level 
of the marshes and slightly lower than the bordering sands of 
light color. On account of its low position and the nearness 
of the water table to the surface, the natural drainage is poor, 
and as a result the type is too wet for ordinary farm crops, ex¬ 
cept during the dry portion of the summer. 

_ ' 

This type of soil is an extensive one in connection with the 
sand and marsh country of the east half of the county. Agricul¬ 
turally it is not important as the soil is generally too wet to 
raise crops, and very little of it is under cultivation. 

Origin .—The Potsdam sandstone is the parent rock from which 
the Dunning sand was derived. It has been reworked, trans- 


GROUP OF SOILS LACKING GOOD DRAINAGE. 


49 


ported, and deposited by the action of the water, but to what 
extent, it is impossible to say. Under moist conditions, it has 
acquired a black color through the growth and decay of vege¬ 
tation. The whitish color of the subsoil may be due to the 
leaching of organic acids. All of the soil is in a very acid con¬ 
dition at the present time. 

Native vegetation .—The native vegetation consists of Jack 
pine, poplar, sweet fern, common ferns, mosses, blue stem, and 
several species of marsh grass. There is no timber of any value 
on the type at the present time. 

Present agricultural development .—As the type is low, poorly 
drained, and acid, it is not cultivated except in a few places. 
It is devoted chiefly to the production of wild marsh hay and 
to pasture. Where cultivated corn and buckwheat are the crops 
most grown. One farmer reported a yield of forty bushels of 
corn, and 150 bushels of potatoes per acre. Before this type 
can be farmed extensively, it must be drained, properly fertilized 
and limed. 

This soil has low natural fertility, but when properly drained, 
limed and treated with stable manure or phosphate and potash 
fertilizers it can be made to produce good yields of potatoes, 
corn, oats, rye and clover. 

For a discussion of the use of lime and commercial fertilizers 
see pages 71 and 73. 

GENESEE FINE SANDY LOAM 

The Genesee fine sandy loam occupies a large part of the 
bottom lands along the Black River. The soil occupies the same 
level as the Genesee silt loam, but usually lies on slight eleva¬ 
tions from one to four or five feet above the silt loam. The 
soil is quite variable due to its manner of deposit and occasional 
overflow. The surface soil varies from a very fine sand to a 
heavy fine sandy loam or loam. The subsoil is generally more 
sandy than the surface. The color varies also from light brown 
to a chocolate or reddish-brown. 

This soil also is in large part timbered or brush covered bottom 
land, but natural open areas or cleared portions are under cul¬ 
tivation. Generally occupying slightly higher elevations than 
the Genesee silt loam, it is not affected by the smaller floods 
so that during many seasons, portions of this soil can be culti- 


50 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


vated. Good crops of corn, oats, and potatoes can be grown. 
This land cannot well be permanently improved and protected 
from floods, however, so that its agricultural value is compara¬ 
tively low. 

GENESEE FINE SAND 

This type includes several small areas of low-lying fine sand 
soil on the first bottom land bordering the Black River south 
of Melrose. The type is not extensive and because of its being 
subject to frequent overflow, its agricultural value is low. Its 
use is confined to pasture and wood lot purposes. 

GENESEE SILT LOAM 

The Genesee silt loam occurs as first bottom land along the 
larger streams, and is subject to occasional overflow from the 
streams. The soil is generally a grayish or drab silt loam with 
a compact mottled or iron stained silty clay loam subsoil. 
Sometimes the surface two or three inches of soil has a dark 
brown or black color due to greater amounts of organic matter 
in it. 

The greatest amount of this soil occurs in the overflow lands 
bordering the Black River from the city of Black River Falls 
southward. Some was mapped along the Trempealeau River 
and tributaries. The soil is a grayish-brown heavy silt loam 
with a mottled iron-stained heavy silty clay subsoil. Variations 
from this description occur where slight knolls of very fine sandy 
loam occur, or sandy streaks along abandoned slough banks and 
water courses.. 

In Sections 4 and 9 (Township 20, Range 4 West), this soil 
lies on different levels and portions of it less subject to over¬ 
flow are cultivated. Grass and willow swales occur in the higher 
levels where the soil is springy and wet. 

The greater part of the Genesee silt loam bottoms are timbered 
or brush-covered. The trees consist of large elms, ash, soft 
maple, birch, and willow. In a few places, open areas occur 
where the vegetation is mainly grass or small brush. 

The land is used largely for pasture land and wood lots. Some 
of the higher levels of small extent could be improved by tiling, 
but most of the soil is too low and subject to too much overflow 
to be profitably drained. 


GROUP OF SOILS LACKING GOOD DRAINAGE. 


51 


WABASH LOAM 

This soil is also of alluvial origin, and being situated in the 
valley bottoms bordering the streams, and subject to more or 
less overflow, the texture of the soil is not very uniform. 

The surface soil of these bottoms is generally a dark brown, 
drab or black loam or silt loam with a generally heavy mottled 
clay loam subsoil which, however, may have sandy layers in it. 
The surface soil also may be strewn with sand, gravel, stones, 
etc., and sandy layers may be encountered at any depth within 
the soil section. 

The Wabash loam is found in a number of valley bottoms 
scattered through the west half of the county. The soil type 
is not extensive, as it comprises narrow strips of bottom land 
only. Very little of the land is under cultivation, most of it being 
generally too low and wet. It is, however, almost entirely used 
for pasture as the soil occurs on the bottoms of the narrow val¬ 
leys whose slopes are also often used for pasture. 

WABASH SILT LOAM 

The Wabash silt loam consists of alluvial deposits, chiefly 
along the upland streams. The areas are quite narrow, varying 
from strips too small to map up to areas one-halt mile or so 
wide. Because of its stream deposition in narrow bands and 
the meandering of the streams, it is not very uniform. Gener¬ 
ally it consists of a grayish or light-brown silt loam to about 
eighteen inches, below which as far as the auger will reach 
occurs a black, mucky, silty loam. In certain places, however, 
these conditions may be reversed. 

A variation from the general black or drab color of this soil 
is found along the Trempealeau River bottom near Taylor. 
There the surface soil is reddish-brown or chocolate colored due 
to large amounts of iron in it. There is a quite general layer 
of spongy bog iron ore lying at from three to eighteen inches 
beneath the surface soil in this latter area. This hard, chunky, 
or gravelly layer is six to eight inches thick, and is underlaid 
by sand or mottled or reddish sandy clay loam. 

The Wabash silt loam is widely distributed in the valley bot¬ 
toms of the west half of the county. This soil because of its low 
position is not generally under cultivation. 


52 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Much of this type has poor drainage and a good deal of it is 
subject to one or more overflows each year, and consequently 
cannot be depended upon for cultivation. 

This soil is mostly of alluvial origin. The dark color is due 
to accumulations of organic matter from decaying vegetation, 
the growth of which was favored by moist conditions. Where 
there is a covering of light-colored material over the dark soil, 
this covering is often colluvial in origin, having been washed 
down from the adjoining slopes. 

This soil is used almost exclusively for pasture and hay land 
for which it is especially valuable. Occasionally a fairly well 
drained patch is cropped, corn doing especially well on it, yields 
of 75 to 90 bushels per acre being reported. Hay will yield 
from two to three tons per acre. Owing to the narrowness of 
most of the areas and the low position of the land, it is doubtful 
if much of this type could be successfully drained. Some of 
the broader expanses where there is sufficient slope could be 
much improved by installing tile drains. 


MISCELLANEOUS SOILS. 


53 


CHAPTER VI 
MISCELLANEOUS SOILS 

PEAT 

(.Including the Shallow Phase) 

Description .—The material classified as peat consists chiefly 
of decaying vegetable matter in varying stages of decomposition, 
with which there is mixed a small but varying amount of min¬ 
eral matter or fine earth. In color the peat varies from a brown 
to black. The depth of the material forming this type is also 
extremely variable, and on the soil map has been grouped into 
two phases. The typical peat is over 18 inches deep and may 
be as great as 15 feet, although the average would probably be 
4 or 5 feet. The shallow phase of peat varies from 6 or 8 inches 
to 18 inches in depth. Usually the shallow peat is more thor¬ 
oughly decayed and when this is the case it is of a darker color. 
The earthy subsoil under most of the peat consists of fine sand. 

The color of the peat and the extent to which the vegetable 
matter has decayed are also variable, and these variations are 
of importance, although they have not been indicated upon the 
soil map, except as they are brought out by the differences in 
depth of the peaty material. By far the greater proportion of 
the deep peat, including the large tracts in the eastern part 
of the county, is brown in color having a raw, fibrous structure, 
showing that it has not reached an advanced stage of decompo¬ 
sition. It has about the color of fine-cut tobacco and it is so 
raw, fibrous or stringy that in many cases the stems, leaves and 
grasses or moss from which it is formed can still be recognized. 
This raw condition often extends to depths of from 3 to 6 or 
more feet, but usually the lower depths are somewhat more 
thoroughly decayed and of a darker color than the surface. As 
a whole, the peat of the shallow phase is somewhat more de¬ 
cayed and of a darker color than the deep peat, and in a few 
places, because of the larger content of fine earth approaches 


54 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


a muck in composition. Such dark colored areas, which are 
well decomposed, however, are of rather limited extent. 

As indicated above, the earthy subsoil under the Peat con¬ 
sists for the most part of a white or grayish fine sand. There 
are two exceptions to this which are worthy of note. The peat 
areas which are associated with and border the Vesper fine sandy 
loam in the northeastern part of the county, are frequently un¬ 
derlain by clay or shale the same as that which forms the sub¬ 
soil of the Vesper types. These peat areas are of limited extent 
and form only a small proportion of the total area of peat in 
the county. The other exception is found in the western part 
of the county where there are small areas of peat land along 
the bottoms of some of the drainage ways where the surround¬ 
ing uplands are heavy. In these places the subsoil of the peat 
is frequently heavy in character, but here also this variation 
is very limited in extent. In general it may be said that the 
heavy subsoil is confined chiefly to regions where the subsoil 
of the adjoining upland types is also heavy, but in such places 
the subsoil is not uniformly heavy. This soil map does not 
show this variation in the subsoil, because of its limited extent. 

Extent and distribution .—Peat is the third most extensive 
type of land in Jackson county. It covers 15.7 per cent of the 
area or slightly more than 100,000 acres. Of this amount about 
90 per cent is deep peat and about 10 per cent is shallow peat. 
The peat is more extensive in the eastern half than elsewhere. 
In the towns of City Point and Bear Bluff there ar over 60 
square miles of continuous marsh land in this county with more 
of the same type of land in the adjoining parts of Wood and 
Juneau counties. In the eastern portion of the county the 
peat is closely associated with extensive sand areas of the Boone 
and Plainfield series and with the Dunning soils which are 
marsh border types. In the western portion the peat is found 
as long narrow strips along the drainage ways. The shallow 
peat is mostly found around the margins of the large marshes 
and as small patches associated with the marsh border soils. 
It may be considered as a gradation type between the Dunning 
soils on the one hand and the deep peat on the other. 

Topography and drainage .—The tracts of peat soil are all 
relatively low, flat, and naturally very poorly drained. On 
many of the marshes water stands on the surface during the 


MISCELLANEOUS SOILS. 


55 


spring and early summer. In this soggy condition the land is 
often so soft that it will not support the weight of stock. Dur¬ 
ing the late summer, especially during dry seasons the marshes 
dry out so that farm stock can safely go almost anywhere, and 
the peat frequently becomes so dry that the danger from fires 
is something which must be considered. When fire once gets 
started in the peat it is very difficult to extinguish, and some¬ 
times continues to burn until stopped by the fall rains. Prac¬ 
tically all of the material mapped as peat is sufficiently high 
in organic matter so that it will burn when dry. 

A number of large drainage ditches have been extended into 
and through the large marsh tracts, but these only supply par¬ 
tial outlets and in order to have the land sufficiently drained 
for the safe cultivation of crops numerous lateral ditches sup¬ 
plemented with tile drains are necessary. In the vicinity of 
cranberry marshes the drainage is restricted by the dams which 
form reservoirs for storing water so that the cranberries may 
be flooded when necessary. Outside of the cranberry marshes 
only very few lateral ditches have been installed, so that on 
but few if any tracts are the peat lands properly and sufficiently 
drained. From work already done there appears to be sufficient 
fall so that from an engineering standpoint it would be pos¬ 
sible and profitable to drain all of the peat land in this county. 

Native vegetation .—The present timber growth on the peat 
marshes consists of tamarack, alder, poplar, willows, and various 
other water loving trees. Only a comparatively small propor¬ 
tion of the peat marshes are timbered, most of them being open 
and treeless or nearly so. The open marshes support a growth 
of coarse marsh grass, wire grass or sphagnum moss, through 
which are scattered a small and stunted growth of water loving 
shrubs. Some of the grass marshes are pastured or cut for 
hay. The moss and trees are usually found on the wettest parts 
of the marsh while the grasses are most common on the parts 
of the marsh land which are better drained. 

Present agricultural development .—While peat is an exten¬ 
sive type in Jackson county it is at present of limited impor¬ 
tance agriculturally. Some cultivation is being attempted at 
several points, notably on Trowe’s Marsh 5 and 6 miles north¬ 
west from Millston, on the Ring Marsh in Sec. 24 T. 21 N., R 
2 W., and on the Albright Marsh in Sec. 30 and 31 T. 20 N., 


56 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


E. 1 E. In most of these attempts work has been done on a 
rather large scale, tractors sometimes being used. In most cases 
it has been found that due to insufficient laterals or tile ditches 
the drainage is not adequate and crop failures have resulted 
because of an excess of moisture, and on land which during a 
series of dry seasons produced fair to good crops of timothy 
hay. Commercial fertilizers and lime although needed, are not 
used to any marked extent on the marshes now being cultivated. 

The crops most commonly grown here on the peat are buck¬ 
wheat, rye, timothy, potatoes, root crops with some cabbage 
and onions on a small scale. Some attempts are being made to 
grow corn but because of the danger of summer frosts this crop 
is very uncertain. These marshes can not be considered as 
being in the corn belt. 

Various sized tracts of the peat lands are being utilized to a 
limited extent for pasture and hay, although the wild marsh 
grasses have a low feeding value. These marshes are frequently 
burnt over to destroy the dead grass and trash upon the surface, 
and a fair stand of clean grass usually follows. While this is 
young and tender it makes fair pasture. If the marshes are 
burnt off during dry seasons there is danger of the peat itself 
being burnt. 

Without fertilization the yields of the crops mentioned when 
grown on raw brown, fibrous peat are usually low and unsatis¬ 
factory. Where the peat is well decayed and of a black color 
fair crops may be secured for a few years without fertilization, 
but the readily available mineral plant foods soon become ex¬ 
hausted, when fertilization becomes essential. Where the sur¬ 
face few inches of the peat have been burnt there is a concen¬ 
tration of the mineral elements sufficient in some cases to insure 
two or three fair crops but when this is used up fertilization 
is again necessary. The fire, if not controlled, however, may 
prove to be a damage rather than a benefit, for deep holes may 
be formed, and the surface of the ground lowered to such a .11 
extent that the land will no longer be sufficiently drained. 

In some places an industry of limited importance has devel¬ 
oped in the cutting of wire grass which is cured like hay, baled, 
and sold to the manufacturers of grass rugs. 

Frosts on marsh land .—It is well known that frosts fre¬ 
quently occur on marsh land where there is no frost on higher 


MISCELLANEOUS SOILS. 


57 


land. This is partly because the cold air which forms on the 
surface of all the ground at night tends to flow down and col¬ 
lect in low places, but it is also the result of the fact that the 
loose, spongy soil of peat marshes does not conduct the heat re¬ 
ceived from the sun during the day downward. In consequence 
of this, the lower layers of soil do not become warmed in peat 
marshes as they do in other earthy soils and the little heat left 
in the surface inch or two of soil is rapidly lost at night by 
radiation, so that the freezing point is frequently reached on 
such soil when it would not be on more earthy soils such as 
sandy loam or clay loam which would conduct the heat down¬ 
ward better during the day and so keep warm farther into 
the night. 

This difficulty with peat marshes can be overcome to a cer¬ 
tain extent by heavy rolling which, by compacting the soil, per¬ 
mits the heat to be conducted downward more readily. It will 
also to a certain extent become less in time, as the peat decom¬ 
poses and takes on more of the character of muck. Neverthe¬ 
less, it must always be expected that marsh land will be more 
subject to late spring frosts and early fall frosts than high land. 
It may be stated as a general guide, that the occurrence of 
killing frosts is as liable on marsh land at any given point as 
it is on upland soil having good air drainage about 150 miles 
farther north; in other words, the marshes of Dane county 
are as liable to have a frost which will kill corn as early as are 
the upland regions of Shawano, Marathon, or Clark counties. 
The marsh land regions of Jackson county are liable to have 
frost tw r o weeks or more earlier than the hill tops of the same 
latitude. This means that corn and potatoes, while safe crops 
for the upland region, are not safe crops for the marsh land 
and should not be depended on as the chief crops. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF PEAT 

The chief difference between peat soils and upland soils con¬ 
sisting largely of earthy matter, is that they have relatively 
small amounts of the mineral elements phosphorus, potassium, 
calcium, and magnesium, and have extremely high amounts of 
nitrogen in the organic matter. The average per cent of phos¬ 
phorus in the peats in this region so far analyzed is 0.135 per 
cent. This means that in an acre of soil to a depth of a foot 


58 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


there is approximately only 675 pounds, or in two feet 1,350 
pounds in comparison with upland soils which have approxi¬ 
mately twice these amounts. Moreover, the acid condition of 
these soils renders the phosphorus less available than in a non- 
acid soil. 

The deficiency of potassium in these soils is greater than that 
of phosphorus. They contain on the average 0.3 per cent of 
this element, while good upland clay loam soils average two per 
cent, or over six times as much expressed in percentage. When 
the greater weight of the upland soils is taken into account it 
will be found that they contain in the upper two feet 120,000 
pounds per acre, while the peat soils contain but 3,000 pounds. 

A large amount of organic matter in these soils gives them 
an extraordinary amount of nitrogen. They average 2.5 per 
cent of this element, while the upland silt loam soils of this 
region contain but about 0.12 per cent and this only in the 
surface eight inches—the amount in deeper layers being much 
less. 

As a result of this difference in the chemical composition the 
peat soils are very unbalanced. Their rational treatment re¬ 
quires the use of fertilizers containing especially the elements 
phosphorus and potassium. These elements are contained in 
relatively small amounts in barnyard manure and good applica¬ 
tions of manure will secure good yields of crops on peat soils, 
but manure contains large amounts of nitrogen not needed by 
the peat, so that when a farm includes upland soils as well as 
peat, the manure should be used on the upland soils and com¬ 
mercial fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium used 
on the peat land. 

On the deeper peats which are in a very raw and acid condi¬ 
tion the use of lime in some form in addition to the commer¬ 
cial fertilizers will be found profitable. Occasionally a marsh 
is found on which on account of coldness and high acidity at 
first nitrification or the chemical change by which the nitro¬ 
gen in the organic matter becomes available to crops does not 
take place readily and the use of a light application of com¬ 
posted stable manure to inoculate the soil with the proper organ¬ 
isms is very helpful. 

Crops and system of farming on marsh lands .—Since the 
growth of corn and potatoes to which these marsh lands would 


MISCELLANEOUS SOILS. 


59 


otherwise be well adapted, is limited in this section on account 
of the danger from frost, the best staple crops for this land 
are grasses for hay and pasture, hardy root crops, and rye, and 
to a less extent oats. When properly fertilized and limed, 
clover, alfalfa, and other legumes can also be grown. On fairly 
well drained marsh land well decomposed good pasture can also 
be developed. The compacting of the soil resulting from the 
use of this land as pasture is also a great benefit to it. When 
peat land is placed under cultivation a heavy roller should 
be classed along with implements necessary to its successful 
management. 

Where good pasture can be secured and other conditions are 
the most favorable, selected portions of these marshes can be 
successfully utilized for dairying or stock raising. 

Certain special crops, such as cabbage, onions, buckwheat, 
sugar beets, and rape, are adapted to such lands when well 
drained and properly fertilized.* 

Summarizing the peat situation for the future agricultural 
development of the peat lands such as are found in Jackson 
county it may be suggested that before farming on these lands 
can be permanently successful there are several conditions with 
which it is necessary to comply. 

1. It is absolutely necessary that the land should be suf¬ 
ficiently drained. Large outlet ditches in themselves while nec¬ 
essary are not sufficient, and these must be supplemented with 
open laterals and tile drains before adequate drainage is insured. 

2. This type of land is low in potash, phosphorus and often 
in lime and these materials must be supplied in proper form 
and proper amounts before permanent, profitable production 
can be expected. 

3. It must be recognized that the danger from summer frosts 
make such crops as corn and potatoes uncertain, and the crops 
to be grown must be those which are not only suited to the soil, 
but also to the climatic conditions. 

4. Those purchasing this type of land must not only see 
their way clear to pay for the land itself, but they must also 
provide adequate drainage and fertilization, both of which 
call for an added investment. 

*For more complete discussion of the management of marsh soils see 
bulletin on this subject by the Agricultural Experiment Station. 



60 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


5. The use of a heavy roller to compact the soil is a prac¬ 
tical necessity in the cultivation of Peat lands. 

It is suggested for those who desire to undertake the devel¬ 
opment of a Peat farm, in any region but have never had 
experience with this type of land, that it would be a good plan 
to rent such a farm for a year or two or possibly serve an ap¬ 
prenticeship on some successful peat farm. This would make 
possible getting valuable experience without making a large 
investment. 

ROUGH STONY LAND 

Rough stony land includes rock exposures, cliffs, and land 
which is too steep and rough to plow or cultivate. It may be 
considered non-agricultural, as it is of value only for the small 
amount of timber and pasture it supplies. 

This type occupies a large part of the steep walls bordering 
the valleys and forms a border between the valley bottoms and 
the high land of the ridges. The type is developed as narrow 
bands many miles in extent, winding in and out of the valleys 
and coves, but confined to the steep slopes. A part of the 
type occurs as narrow ridges upon which areas of soil too 
small to be mapped are sometimes found. The bluffs and cliffs 
are highest along the western border of the county, and fre¬ 
quently reach an elevation of two to three hundred feet above 
the valley bottoms along the sides of which they occur. The 
ridge tops are also wider here than elsewhere, and range in 
width from one-quarter to one-half of a mile. The elevation of 
the ridge tops range from one hundred and fifty to two hundred 
feet above the valley floor throughout most of the interior of 
the western part of the county. 

The rough stony land type also includes isolated mounds, 
hills, and ridges of sandstone rocks rising above the compara¬ 
tively level plane of the eastern part of the county. None of 
these rough stony areas, such as Saddle Mound, Bruces Mound, 
or Stanley Mounds have any tillable land on their summits. 

Rough stony land is quite uniformly distributed throughout 
the western portion of the county and is intimately associated 
with Knox silt loam, the steep phase of this type, and also with 
some of the Boone types. The greater portion of the rock con¬ 
sists of the Potsdam sandstone, although there is also some 
granite rock exposed along the bed of the Black River. 


MISCELLANEOUS SOILS. 


61 


The forest growth still remaining consists of white oak, red 
oak, pine, hickory and a considerable amount of undergrowth 
and brush in places. The best timber has all been removed and 
what now remains serves to protect the slopes from washing. 

The inclusion of rough stony land in farms reduces the value 
of better land and it renders the fields on or over the ridges 
less accessible. It makes hauling to market more difficult, as 
some of the roads cross steep strips of this class of land. 


62 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 



CHAPTER VII 

AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY 

TYPES OF FARMING 

At the present time, the agriculture of the west half of the 
county is partly general, and partly dairying with grain raising 
predominating in certain portions. There appears however 
to be a gradual reduction in grain raising in favor of dairying 
and general farming. There are several reasons why this por¬ 
tion of the county is best suited to dairying, and chief of 
these is that all of the land can be utilized to better advantage. 
When grain growing is followed exclusively it is impossible 
to fully utilize the steep rocky slopes, but when dairying is 
followed these slopes are made use of for they supply good 
grazing. Thus the smooth land and more gentle slopes can 
be used for growing winter feed for the stock, and the pasture, 
which is a very important item to the dairymen, is provided 
by land which in a grain growing program would not be util¬ 
ized. Another factor favoring dairying in this region is that 
the steep slopes can be kept more permanently in grass which 
prevents erosion and the washing away of the surface soil and 
the loss of fertility. 

The agriculture of the county east of the Black River except 
for small areas where the better grades of soil predominate, 
is still largly in an undeveloped state. While centers of farm¬ 
ing have started around the areas of better soil and around a 
few small towns, the majority of the land is still covered with 
brush and is not farmed. This is due in large part to the 
poor quality of the soils. Groups of farms are found near 
Shamrock, Millston, City Point, Pray, and Hatfield, and also 
in the vicinity of Oak Ridge, North Settlement, and Knapp in 
the interior of this part of the county. 

The main crops of the west half of the county where agricul¬ 
ture is highly developed, are the grains and corn and hay 


AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


63 


which are largely fed to cattle. The cash crops consist of 
tobacco, beans, potatoes, rye and on some farms barley, wheat, 
and oats are sold. 

East of the river livestock farming does not thrive so well 
because of the inferior pasturage produced, except on the patches 
of better soil mentioned. Clearings are small, only a few head 
of stock are kept, a little oats, rye and some corn are pro¬ 
duced. Partial support of many is derived from picking blue 
berries, working on the cranberry marshes, or gathering moss or 
wire grass. 

CULTURAL METHODS 

In the western part of the county on the heavy soils, some 
fall plowing is done, but it should be confined to fields where 
there is not serious danger from erosion. The tendency through¬ 
out the county is towards better methods of cultivation, fertili¬ 
zation, and seed selection. It is customary to apply manure 
to fields to be plowed for corn. When the land is plowed in 
the fall, manure is often hauled out during the winter and 
scattered over the plowed field. This is a good practice except 
where the surface is so steep that fertility is lost by being 
carried away by rains and melting snows. 

In the eastern part of the county where conditions are radi¬ 
cally different, other methods are necessary. Spring plowing is 
better than fall plowing. Covering sandy soils during the fall 
and early spring with a good growth is a good practice because 
it prevents loss of plant food by leaching, and the loss of fine 
sand particles by severe winds. Seeding rye in corn rows at 
the time of the last cultivation or in potato fields at digging 
time will prevent some loss of fertility, and this practice should 
be more generally followed. 

Rye seeded early in the fall will help to protect the soil from 
blowing, but this crop has limitations, and the cheapest and 
most profitable way of handling the blowing problem is to grow 
clover and to do this commercial fertilizers may be necessary. 
With clover to hold the soil in place and a wind break of Jack 
pine and scrub oak to stop the wind, the blowing problem can 
be overcome. The use of a corrugated roller is also desirable 
since this insures a firm seed bed and an uneven surface which 
offers more resistance to wind. This implement is also needed 
on peat soil, and every sand and peat farmer should own or 
have the use of such a roller. 


64 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


ROTATION OF CROPS* 

In discussing rotations, farm crops may be divided into three 
classes : 

1. Grain crops—generally shallow feeders, add little humus 
or organic matter to the soil, and tend to weediness. 

2. Hay crops—legumes, timothy, etc. Legumes have exten¬ 
sive root systems, tap roots, add organic matter or humus and 
also plant food (nitrogen). They also improve the physical 
condition of the soil. 

3. Cultivated crops—Corn, potatoes, etc., conserve moisture, 
favor decomposition of organic matter, and destroy weeds. 
Some are deep feeders, as corn, while root crops are shallow 
feeders. 

A good rotation should necessarily include crops belonging 
to each of these three classes. The value of such practice is 
apparent in its effect on the physical condition of the soil, on 
weediness, on organic matter supply, on plant diseases, and 
on nitrogen supply of the soil. Better yields are, therefore, 
obtained when crops are rotated than when a single cropping 
system is followed. 

Again, crop rotation permits raising livestock and means 
diversified farming. No one will deny the benefits of this type 
of farming in stabilizing farm business and making best use 
of labor and equipment the year around. 

It should not be understood, however, that crop rotation 
means maintaining the supply of plant food better than where 
a single cropping system is practiced. It is often said that 
certain crops are “hard” on the soil in the sense that they 
remove more plant food than other crops. In part that is true, 
but a more important difference is that some plants remove 
more of certain elements than others. Again a crop like corn, 
because of its root development and length of growing season, 
may utilize plant food that is less soluble. 

Potatoes require relatively more potassium; corn draws 
heavily on nitrogen; while legumes are heavy feeders on lime 
(calcium) and also require large amounts of phosphorus, po¬ 
tassium, and nitrogen (some of which may be extracted from the 
air in the soil). Again, grain crops and roots require plant 


*See Bulletins of Exp. Sta. for more information on Crop Rotation. 





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AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


65 


food that is readily available, while corn is less particular in 
this respect. 

By properly rotating crops, therefore, the soil is subjected 
to these different “feeding* characteristics.” One crop compen¬ 
sates for the other, and there is maintained more nearly a bal- 
anced condition than with the single crop system. 

It is of great importance that in selecting crops to grow, 
careful consideration be given to the question of climate. This 
is about the only factor which the farmer absolutely cannot con¬ 
trol. A poor soil may be improved, better markets may be 
found, and better labor secured; but the farmer is powerless 
to change climatic conditions. He must, therefore, select such 
crops as are suited to his climate. 

The soil is also a factor of great importance. As a general 
rule, small grain crops do better on heavy than on light soils, 
and the same is true of grasses grown for hay. On the other 
hand, the same variety of corn requires a shorter season for 
maturity on light than on heavv soil. Rather light soils and 
those of intermediate texture are better adapted to potato grow¬ 
ing and root crops. Therefore, on light soils a greater acreage 
should be devoted to cultivated crops than on heavy types. 

Shipping and marketing facilities must also be considered 
in planning a rotation. The farmer located on a sandy loam 
farm close to a railroad station or home market will often find 
it profitable to include potatoes in his rotation. If he is located 
six or seven miles from a station, the profits from growing 
potatoes will be much lessened. It will then pay him better to 
raise more corn for stock feeding, and to convert his crops into 
dairy products which are less bulky, and which for the same 
bulk have a greater value. 

There is no one best system of rotation. The rotation depends 
on the system of farming, and this depends largely on the 
personal choice of the farmer, for some prefer one system and 
some another. It is highly desirable to rotate crops, but a 
serious mistake to think that rotation takes the place of other 
equally sound practices, such as liming and fertilizing. 

Following are a few suggestions which will apply to the 
western part of Jackson county, and may serve as outlines to 
be modified according to varying conditions. 

As much of the land in western Jackson county is quite roll¬ 
ing this factor should he considered in working out a rotation. 


06 SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


One of the chief difficulties on long slopes is that of the tendency 
of little streamlets to collect into larger streams which greatly 
increase their eroding power. This difficulty can be overcome 
to some extent by laying out the fields in long and comparatively 
narrow strips on the hillsides so that the land which is in tilled 
crops such as corn or potatoes will alternate with land in grain 
or hav, thus greatly shortening the distance down the hill 
through which this accumulation of streams may take place. 
The sodded strips serve to check the flow of surface water, ab¬ 
sorbing it and carrying it off beneath the surface. 

A rotation which adapts itself to this system consists of corn, 
followed bv small grain followed bv hav for two years. In 
some parts of the county grain is inclined to lodge. This ten¬ 
dency may be overcome somewhat by growing grain twice in 
succession on the same fields. Where the slope is not too great 
this may be safely done, and two crops of corn may also be 
grown in this way where the slope will permit. A three year 
rotation may also be used on much of this land. Corn may be 
followed by a small grain and the grain by clover. Where 
the fertility is rather low, the second crop should be plowed 
under as a green manuring crop. 

In the sandy portions of Jackson county, somewhat different 
rotations should be followed. The following is probably the 


best for most farms of sandy soil: 

1st year: Clover with perhaps a light seeding of rye or oats. 

2nd year: Clover for hay, leaving the second crop to be 
turned under either in the fall or spring. 

3rd year: Corn or potatoes. 

4th year: Soybeans, which mav be used for feed, for hay, 
and for green manure. 

If any other crops are to be grown, they may be planted fol¬ 
lowing clover, thus eliminating one of the crops named. An¬ 
other rotation which is frequently followed on sandy soils con¬ 
sists of small grain followed by clover, followed by potatoes. 
1 he second crop of clover in this system should be plowed under 
as green manure crop. 

It is better to use mammoth clover on the sandy soils than 
red clover, for it is more hardy and more vigorous in growth, 
being able to secure its plant food more readily. It grows to 
about the same size on sandy soils as the medium red clover 
does on heavy soils. 


AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


67 


In some of the rotations suggested it may be desirable to 
substitute rye for wheat or oats, especially on the sandy soils. 

Tobacco can be grown on the same field for from two to three 
years, followed by two years of corn and one of small grain 
seeded to clover. With the tobacco a phosphate fertilizer should 
be used to supplement the manure. A second crop of clover 
can be plowed under, and thus save some of the manure for 
other parts of the farm. Tobacco should not be grown on the 
same field for a long period of years as is often the practice. 

The growing of peas for canning could be made an important 
crop in this section, and this crop could be readily introduced 
into a four year rotation. Such a rotation might consist of small 
grain, clover, cultivated crops, which would be followed by 
peas. This may be made a five year rotation by adding timothy 
and cutting hay for two years. This system would be best 
suited to the western part of the county where the soils are 
heavier. 

On the marsh lands as •they are reclaimed, the question of 
crop rotation should also be considered. There are three types 
of farming to which marsh soils are adapted and these are stock 
raising or dairy farming, trucking and a combination of the 
two in which neither type predominates. Grain farming can 
not as yet be recommended on marsh soils. Where a farmer 
has 30 or 40 acres of peat he can divide the field into four parts 
and raise cabbage on one, sugar beets on one, grain on one and 
hay on the other. Thus a four year rotation of hay, sugar beets, 
cabbage and grain would be practiced on the peat. On a dairy 
farm two or three crops of corn may be grown in succession 
but in this region one should take into account the danger from 
frost. The corn may be followed by grain and this by alsike 
clover and timothy. The hay may be cut the first year and 
pastured the second. Potatoes may also be grown on peat land 
but here again the danger from frost and the quality of the 
product must be considered. In some localities outside of this 
area in this and other states a one crop system is being followed 
Avhere celery, peppermint, or some other crop is the entire 
source of income. While a rotation of crops on such land is 
not absolutely essential a change of crops is desirable to aid in 
the control of weeds and insect pests. 


68 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


EROSION IN JACKSON COUNTY 


The most important single problem in soil management in 
western Jackson county is due to the large amounts of steep 
or rolling land. The county is in the so-called residual portion 
of the state where the streams which drain the area have cut 
down their beds through the formerly level elevated plain into 
sandstone rock. These valleys have never been altered or filled 
by action of glaciers which once covered most of the state. The 
valleys were at first mere erosion ditches or small stream beds 
which have been enlarged and deepened during geological ages 
till their beds lie from 200 to over 400 feet below the ridges 
which extend between. The valleys and their tributaries radi- 
ate like the veins of a leaf and the steep slopes which lead 
down from the ridge top to valley bottom make up a consider¬ 
able part of the area of the county. 

Most of the soil on the sloping land is heavy and is included 
in the steep phase of the Knox silt loam. These slopes which 
originally were timbered or brush-covered have been largely 
cleared and cultivated. Because of their unprotected condi¬ 
tion and exposure to the work of surface run-off water 
from higher land, fields on this type of soil are often extensively 
washed and gullied by the storm water and the water from 
melting snow in spring. 

Other soils subject to erosion are the soils of the Boone 
series derived from sandstone and which often occupy lower 
slopes in the valleys. The soils of the Lintonia series which 
lie in narrow benches along the sides of the valley bottoms are 
also subject to severe gullying. The swift flowing water from 
i he ridges and slopes must cross these benches before reaching 
the valley stream and deep ravines, gullies, and ditches are 
developed. Soil erosion is a farm problem not only because 
fields are cut by ditches and gullies which make cultivation 
difficult, but because erosion removes the finest and most fertile 
soil particles first and reduces the fertility and yield of fields 
by removing fine soil and organic matter from the surface. 
The causes of removal of soil from the surface without forma¬ 
tion of gullies generally lie in improper methods of cultivation 
or poor arrangement of fields. Fields where this kind of ero¬ 
sion occurs are often only gently rolling or undulating and the 
rain water does not collect in larger swift-flowing rills or 


streams which have power to cut ditches, but follows the culti¬ 
vated rows such as corn or potatoes or the drill rows of grain 
fields and the soil is removed only from the knolls and deposited 
in the hollows. 

Contour cultivation and arrangement of the crop rows across 
the slope instead of with or down the slopes retards the move¬ 
ment of soil in such fields. Keeping the most exposed places 
in sod as much as possible and the cultivation of the field in 
alternate strips of crop and sod across the slopes are incon¬ 
venient but often necessary methods. 

Rotation of crops in such a way that two cultivated crops 
do not follow in succession gives the field opportunity to recover 
from its losses under cultivation and avoiding a hard bare con¬ 
dition of the eroded ground after harvest as much as possible 
prevents surface wash in the fall. A cover or catch crop of 
rye or peas in the corn rows helps protect the soil after harvest 
and furnishes pasture until winter. 

Deep plowing and plowing under of straw, manure, or a 
second crop of clover to increase the organic matter in the soil 
also give the surface of the field greater absorbing capacity and 
resistance to erosion. 

Gullying occurs where greater volumes of water collect form¬ 
ing cutting-streams where steeper slopes cause the water to 
flow faster or in places where the soil has an unstaple founda¬ 
tion of sandy material which easily undermines when the water 
once cuts through the surface soil and establishes a fall which 
cuts back in the sandy subsoil. In some situations large gullies 
one half mile or more in length are sometimes cut during a 
single season. 

In their beginnings most small gullies are easily handled. 
Small drainage-ways or shallow ditches can be filed with straw 
or manure and plowed shut. Such shallow drainageways should 
be left in permanent sod. The plow can be easily thrown out 
in passing across them. On the level terraces or where heavy 
soil lies on light sand or sandy gravelly subsoil, small ditches 
must be immediately tended to because all ditches on such soil 
are dangerous. 

Where the subsoil is clay and where clay or silt soil material 
is being brought down by the flood water, large gullies may 
be made to fill by putting in a dam of stumps, brush, and logs. 
Where the subsoil is sandy much greater care is required. If 


70 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


dams are built in the latter case, they need to be carefully con¬ 
structed to prevent the water from cutting around them. 

Darns of concrete, stone, wire mesli, and brush have been suc¬ 
cessfully used. Flume devices also have been used to carry the 
water over the head of the ditch and down into it preventing 
its continued growth. 

Planting willows and bushes on the sides and bottom of ditches 
too deep to fill often arrests the growth of the ditch. Sorghum, 
sweet clover, or rye make good emergency crops on eroded spots 
and fields which later need to be seeded to grasses and left in 
permanent sod.* 

DRAINAGE f 


In Jackson county there are at least 150,000 acres of land 
which would be classed as poorly drained, and which must be 
provided with open ditches or tile drains before cultivated crops 
can be safely grown from year to year. The major portion of 
this poorly drained land consists of deep peat, and in the 
eastern part of the county, the two townships, town 20 and 21 
north, Range 1 East, have more than eighty per cent of their 
area in deep peat. This means that there are over 36,000 acres 
of this low land in one large body. In addition to this, there 
are other extensive areas of peat throughout the eastern part 
of the county. There are also extensive areas of Dunning sand 
which consist of marsh border soil and this requires drainage, 
and there is also some land along the Black River which is sub¬ 
ject to overflow and which is classed as poorly drained, which 
is more difficult to reclaim. At the present time there are 
46,760 acres of land in drainage enterprises. There are 25.5 
miles of open ditches in these drainage enterprises, but only a 
very small amount of tile has been installed up to the present 
time. The capital invested in and required to complete opera¬ 
ting enterprises in Jackson county amounts to $113,570. 

Quite a large number of open ditches have been constructed. 
Statistics indicate that only 4,140 acres of this drained land 
are improved at the present time. This means vast areas of 
land within drainage districts are still lying idle. This is due 
to the fact that even though outlet ditches have been installed, 
laterals have not been constructed so that individual tracts of 


*See Bulletin 272 of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 
tEor a full discussion of drainage questions consult the bulletins of the 
Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



AdKK'l LTVKK OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


71 


land do not have sufficient drainage at present. Then, too, 
much of the land is raw, fibrous peat, and this class of soil re¬ 
quires special methods of cultivation and fertilization in order 
to make its development profitable. It may be stated that 
most of the marsh land in Jackson county is at present unim¬ 
proved. The most extensive use which is being made of the 
marsh land is for wild hay, for moss, and wire grass. Some of 
the marsh is also utilized for pasture. 

The cranberry industry mentioned elsewhere has been devel¬ 
oped almost entirely on peat soils, and where this development 
has taken place, thorough drainage is not wanted in that imme¬ 
diate vicinity. With the proper construction of reservoir and 
ditches, however, the development of cranberry industry, and 
the development of farming on cultivated lands need not inter¬ 
fere materially with one another, since the drainage water from 
one tract may be used at a lower point on the cranberry bogs. 
It is believed that there is a sufficient fall so that practically 
all the marsh lands in this county can be successfully drained. 
Where an area of low land includes part of several farms, the 
owners can form a drainage district and sell bonds to pay for 
the improvement. This is the method which has been used, and 
a number of drainage districts have already been established 
in the county. In this way the cost of drainage can be spread 
over a number of years and paid for from the products of the 
improved acres. Assistance in the development of such proj¬ 
ects can, and in fact, must be secured from the state authori¬ 
ties who pass upon the practicability of the project before 
the court permits the organization of a drainage district. Where 
the areas of marsh land are small and confined to one farm, and 
where there is an outlet, the farmer can install tile drains and 
establish his own drainage system. 

For a more detailed discussion of drainage see bulletins 284 
and 309, Wisconsin Experiment Station. 

LIMING 

Most of the soils in Jackson county are thought to be in need 
of lime. All of the soil types show an acid condition which 
ranges from slight to strong in degree. The subsoils of many 
of the types also show some acidity to a depth of from two to 
three feet. The heavy light colored upland soils are usually 


72 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


acid at the surface, but the deep subsoil may in places be free 
from acid or even slightly calcarious (containing lime). 

The degree of acidity is quite variable, and each farmer may 
find a wide variation in the need for lime on his farm. It is 
essential that every farmer should have his various fields tested 
before making an expenditure for lime. The county agent can 
do this, or samples may be sent to the Department of Soils of 
the University where free tests will be made. Failure of clover 
and alfalfa are often an indication of the need of lime. About 
three tons of ground limestone per acre is the usual application 
on these soils when alfalfa is to be grown and two tons where 
clover is seeded. The amount to be used, however, may vary 
with the degree of acidity, the character of the soil, and the 
crop to be grown. Such crops as alfalfa, sweet clover, peas, 
cabbages, onions, and lettuce have a high lime requirement. 
Clover, garden beans, barley, hemp, turnips, and raishes have 
a medium lime requirement while vetch, white clover, oats, rye, 
blue grass, potatoes, sorghum, and others have a low require¬ 
ment for lime. As a rule the heavy types of soil which are 
acid need more lime than the sandy types showing the same 
degree of acidity. 

Ground limestone is doubtless the most economical form of 
lime which can be extensively utilized in Jackson county. Lime 
should be applied previous to planting the crop which is to be 
benefited. It should be applied to plowed land and thoroughly 
worked in by harrowing. Either fall, winter, or spring appli¬ 
cations mav be made. 

The best way to apply lime which is dry is with a regular 
spreader made for this purpose, and there are a number on the 
market. The end gate type of spreader has given good re¬ 
sults in spreading dry or moist lime. A manure spreader may 
also be used by first putting in a thin layer of manure or straw 
and spreading the limestone evenly on top of this. Where sev¬ 
eral farmers are so situated that they can work together, a lime 
spreader should be secured for this purpose. 

After making a first application of two or three tons per 
acre, it is not likely that another application will be needed for 
four to six years, and the need should again be determined by 
soil acidity test, as well as by the story which the crops them¬ 
selves tell. 


AGUICU LTURF OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


It should be remembered that most acid soils are also dificient 
in available phosphorus, but applying lime will not add to the 
total amount of phosphorus in the soil. The need of phosphorus 
may be so great that but little result will be secured from lim¬ 
ing until phosphorus is also added. Frequently the application 
of phosphorus alone to an acid soil will result in larger in¬ 
creases than the uses of lime alone, and for this reason it is 
important that both deficiencies should be corrected to secure 
the most economical production. 

THE USE OF FERTILIZERS 

We believe that most of the nitrogen needed for plant food 
by Wisconsin crops can best be secured through the growth of 
legumes and the use of stable manure. Since the legumes 
require a good supply of available phosphorus, this ele¬ 
ment should be applied by the broadcast application of phos¬ 
phate when seeding down to a legume whenever needed. This 
phosphorus in part becomes available along with the nitrogen 
of the legume to the succeeding crop of corn, potatoes, sugar 
beets, tobacco, etc., all of which on upland soils at least should 
be grown in rotation with legumes, or else on manured land. 
Only such additional amounts of phosphorus and potash should 
be applied to these special crops as are needed. These can then 
be applied in the hill or drill, if desirable. 

Peat and muck soils are abundantly supplied with nitrogen 
which can be made available by proper treatment but are prac¬ 
tically always low in potash and freqeuntly in phosphorus, and 
even sometimes in lime as well. 

Only such amounts of nitrogen should be purchased in com¬ 
mercial fertilizers as are needed to supplement the home grown 
supply. Such supplementary nitrogen should ordinarily be in 
immediately available form and be used to encourage early 
growth. Where it is desired to use a fertilizer carrying nitro¬ 
gen, it is highly important that this fertilizer be applied with 
a fertilizer attachment on the planter or in such a manner that 
it will come within the root feeding radius of the plant. Fer¬ 
tilizer attachments are being used for the application of fer¬ 
tilizers for potatoes and corn. For sugar beets the fertilizer 
should be applied at the time of planting the crop with a regu¬ 
lar fertilizer beet drill. Fertilizers for tobacco and cabbage 
are usually applied broadcast previous to setting, athough it has 


74 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


been found desirable to apply a small amount of the fertilizer 
with an attachment on the tobacco or cabbage setter and the 

c 

balance to be applied broadcast after the crop has developed a 
more extensive root system. For onions and other truck crops 
it is usually desirable to apply the fertilize]- broadcast previous 
to planting the crop. 

There are three factors which must be considered in relation 
to fertility and the yield of crops: First, the condition of the 
soil itself and the supplies of the various kinds of plant food 
which it offers in available form; second, the crops to be grown, 
including the kinds and amounts of plant food they require; 
and third, the use of fertilizers which will supplement the sup¬ 
ply of plant food already in the soil in a way to meet the de¬ 
mand of the crops concerned. 

Soils vary greatly in the total amount of plant food they 
contain in available form and especially in the proportion of the 
various elements required by crops. Sandy and light soils are 
generally low in most elements. Light colored clay soils are 
relatively low in nitrogen and are moderately well supplied 
with phosphates, but contain potash in relative abundance. 
Peat soils are always abundantly supplied with nitrogen which 
can be made available by proper treatment, but are practically 
always low in potash, and frequently in phosphates, and even 
sometimes in lime as well. 

With reference to crops, there are two things to consider: 
first, the relative proportion of the different elements they re¬ 
quire; second, the total quantity needed. While there are un¬ 
doubtedly slight variations in the requirements of each single 
individual crop, they can be grouped into classes fairly well. 
Such crops as small grains and grasses, including timothy, re¬ 
quire a relative abundance of phosphates and moderate amounts 
of potash and nitrogen. Such crops as corn, potatoes, tobacco, 
and sugar beets require large amounts of nitrogen and potash 
with moderate supplies of phosphates. Peas, clover, and alfalfa 
. require large amounts of phosphate, potassium, and lime, but 
under proper conditions can secure most of their nitrogen from 
the air. 

The total quantity of plant food needed depends largely on 
the total weight of the crop produced. Such crops as small 
grain, timothy, and flax require but moderate amounts of total 


AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY. 75 

plant food per acre, while such crops as corn, sugar beets, cab¬ 
bage, onions, and potatoes, require much larger quantities. 

The yields of crops are affected not only by the quantity of 
plant food available, but by the moisture supply which the 
climate provides and the portion of it which the soils on which 
the crops are grown will retain until absorbed by the growing 
plants. 

In working out our ideas of the proper fertilizers to use in 
Wisconsin, therefore, we must take all of these factors into 
consideration and should use commercial fertilizers only to 
supplement the natural fertility of our soils and system of 
farming. Roughly this means that on any particular kind of 
soil and for the growing of any one of the groups of crops men¬ 
tioned, the fertilizer best to use would depend on : first, whether 
stable manure had been used or not; second, whether legumes, 
which would supply nitrogen but no other element, have been 
grown; or third, if the soil is unfertilized in either of these 
ways. 

Acid phosphate should be used on the heavier soils in the 
general system of farming where a sufficient amount of manure 
is produced to cover the cultivated land every fourth year. 
This phosphate fertilizer should be used at rates of 125 to 350 
lbs. per acre (depending upon the grade) and should be broad¬ 
casted or applied with a fertilizer grain drill at the time of 
seeding to small grain and clover. 

Mixed fertilizers high in phosphate (such as 2 - 12 - 2 ) may be 
used on lighter soils where there is a limited supply of organic 
matter. For small grain these fertilizers may be applied at 
rates of 200 to 400 lbs. per acre depending upon conditions. 
This fertilizer may also be used 011 corn at rates of 75 to 
125 lbs. per acre and should be applied with fertilizer attach¬ 
ments on the corn planter. Fertilizer applied in this manner 
for corn should be used only as a supplement to the usual 
manurial treatment and in conjunction with a practice as pre¬ 
viously outlined. 

Mixed fertilizers high in potash may be used for truck crops 
where it is impossible to secure a sufficient amount of barnyard 
manure. It is imperative that some legume such as clover or 
soybeans be grown under this system in order to supply the nec¬ 
essary amounts of organic matter and partly supply the nitrogen. 
For potatoes the fertilizer should be applied with fertilizer 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


7(i 

attachments in the furrows at rates of 400 to 1,000 lbs. per acre. 
For onions, cabbage, beets, tobacco, etc., the fertilizer may be 
applied broadcast at rates of 400 to 1,500 lbs. per acre. The 
conditions peculiar to the individual case will decide the amounts 
and kind of fertilizer to use. 

Phosphate and potash mixtures should be used ou the dark 
colored soils where there is no need for nitrogen in the ferti¬ 
lizer. Soils ranging from the black sand loams to muck and peats 
fall under this class. The kind of fertilizer and the rate of 
application will depend upon the type of soil, the crop to be 
grown and other conditions peculiar to the individual case and 
no recommendations can be made unless all these factors are 
taken into consideration.* 

FARM PRODUCTS AND AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 

Of the agricultural products of the county as a whole, the 
cereals lead by far. The farm value of the cereals including 
corn December 1, 1920, was over two million dollars, while hay 
and forage were worth less than a half of this amount, and milk 
produced had a value of over two million dollars. 

Among the cereals, oats represent the greatest acreage and 
production with corn second, barley third, and rye and wheat 
about an equal fourth. 

The towns of Garden Valley, Albion, Franklin, Irving, Cur¬ 
ran, Melrose, and Northfield produced the most grains, hay, 
corn for silage and tobacco, and have the most cows, horses, 
sheep, and silos. These towns have largely the Knox silt loam 
soil. 

The towns of Cleveland, Hixton, Alma and Springfield with 
largely fine sandy loam and loam soil lead in acreage of corn 
for grain, alfalfa, buckwheat, beans and wild hay, and second 
in number of hogs, silos, and acres of wheat, tobacco, silage, 
and potatoes. 

The towns with largely medium to sandy soil including Gar¬ 
field, City Point, Manchester, and Komensky, lead in the pro¬ 
duction of rye, wild hay, and clover. Brockway, Millston, 
Knapp, and Bear Bluff the most generally sandy towns led 
in acreage of potatoes, cranberries, and wild hay. Being only 

*For a more complete discussion of commercial fertilizers consult the 
bulletins of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



AGRICULTURE OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


77 


partly developed, they do not compare with the production of 
the more highly developed towns having heavier soil. 

Tobacco has the highest acre value of any of the special crops 
grown in the county. The census of 1920 reports 209 acres de¬ 
voted to tobacco growing in the county. The acreage on any one 
farm is small, and probably averages no more than two to 
three acres; so that tobacco is grown on about 100 of the 2,400 

farms in the county. 

* . 

The production of cranberries is a special industry carried 
on chiefly in the marshy parts of the east half of the county. 
1910 census reports 529 acres of cranberries with a yield of 
529,000 quarts. In 1920, 480 acres produced 548,648 quarts. 

In 1917 about 460 acres of beans were produced in Jackson 
county. In 1920 the crop was 232 acres yielding 2,344 bushels. 
These also are generally grown on the sandy soils and in small 
plots of one-half to two acres extent, although a. few fields of 
from five to twenty acres of beans are grown. The white navy 
bean is the variety generally grown. The greatest acreages are 
usually in the towns of Alma, Albion, Hixton, and Garfield. 

Potatoes are grown on a commercial scale in parts of the 
county. The largest acreages are found in Cleveland, Irving, 
Garden Valley, and Garfield and Alma townships. Potato ware 
houses are located at Fairchild, Price and Black River Falls. 
Alma Center, Humbird, and Levis. 

Cucumbers are quite extensively grown in portions of the 
county, chiefly on the sandy and sandy loam soils. Salting 
stations are located at Merrillan, Black River Falls, Hatfield, 
Levis, and Taylor. As high as $2.00 per bushel of fifty pounds 
is paid for first grade cucumbers. Seed is generally furnished 
and farmers are able to make $100 to $150 an acre from this 
crop where soil and weather conditions are favorable. This 
crop is very tender and occasionally early frosts in the fall or 
the vield. 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


Is 


Table of Agricultural Statistics for Jackson County for 1919 As 
Compared With 1918 and 1909, From Bulletin No. 28 of the State 
Department of Agriculture. 


Number of Farms 


Number of farms...__ 

Acreage in 22 cultivated crops, including tame nay_ 

Corn, total acreage...______ 

Production, bushels ____ 

Corn for grain, acreage_____ 

Production, bushels__ 

Corn for silage, acreage_ 

Production, tons-- 

Silos, number ....... 

Oats, acreage--- 

Production, bushels--- 

Winter wheat, acreage_ 

Production, bushels..__ 

Spring wheat, acreage..... 

Production, bushels_ 

Barley, acreage_ 

Production, bushels____ 

Buckwheat, acreage....... 

Production, bushels...... 

Rye, acreage_____ 

Production, bushels.... 

Peas dry, acreage______ 

Production, bushels....... 

Dry beans, acreage___ 

Production, bushels..._ 

Clover and timothy, acreage--— 

Production, tons----- 

Alfalfa, acreage__ 

Production, tons----- 

Other tame hay, acreage--- 

Production, tons..... 

Wild hay, acreage.____ 

Production, tons_______ 

Potatoes, acreage______ 

Production, bushels_ 

Tobacco, acreage__ 

Production, pounds___ 

Cabbage, acreage_______ 

Production, tons..__ 

Sugar beets, acreage..... 

Peas for canning____ 

Other root crops.______ 

Flax, acreage_________ 


1919 

1918 

1909 

2,479 


2,382 

138,928 

132,564 

120,563 

23,675 

22,204 

160,058 

1,089,050 

865,956 


10,418 

8,215 

_ _ _ — — _ V _ 

489,646 

328,600 


11,837 

12,657 


108,900 

101,256 


894 

792 


41,023 

43,764 

43,491 

1,394,782 

1,925,616 


3,314 

1,513 

3,832 

62,966 

27,558 


7,322 

6,231 

722 

87,864 

155,775 


6,918 

9,506 

8,868 

179,868 

344,322 


1,810 

2,676 

1,994 

28,960 

50,844 


11,436 

9,582 

7,457 

194,446 

182,058 

272 

111 

32 

2,992 

1,332 


137 

390 

207 

2,055 

4,680 


33,545 

32,032 

34,227 

53,672 

48,048 


104 

98 

20 

322 

245 


661 

496 

404 

859 

794 


3,370 

3,812 

3,774 

_ 

5,055 

4,574 

2,471 

2,651 

2,189 

232,274 

288,939 


550 

625 

338 

715,000 

843,750 


12 

33 

10 

91 

99 


16 

121 

103 

166 

36 

16 


50 

30 



Acreage in 22 cultivated crops, including tame hay.. 

133,928 

132,564 

120,563 


1920 

1919 

1910 

Milk cows, number January 1_ 

Other cattle __ 

Number of horses and mules, January 1 

Number of swine, January 1_ 

Number of sheep, January 1_.___ 

Milk produced, cwt. _ . ... 

19,762 

23,978 

9,044 

29,662 

12,198 

876,865 

19,391 

22,879 

9,291 

30,615 

14,630 

17,077 

14.756 

8,514 

18,615 

7,966 




Average production, per cow, 4,488 pounds of milk. 





























































































AGRICULTURE OF JACKSOX COUNTY. 


79 


AGRICrLTI’RAL 11IST0RY 

Agriculture in its early stages followed close on the heels of 
the lumberman. Pine forests lined the Black River and cov¬ 
ered the east half of the county. During the process of mar¬ 
keting this timber, railroads were built, sawmills established, 
and towns grew up around the sawmills and lumber camps. 
Roads were opened fn m town to town, and the land seeker was 
attracted to the locality. 

The first settlement began about 1850. Wheat was the popu¬ 
lar crop at first because it always found a market. Many farm¬ 
ers hauled their wheat twenty to forty miles or more with ox 
teams to the nearest railroad point. The grain raising was 
confined to the western half of the county where most of the 
soil is heavy and better adapted to grains than the soil of the 

east half of the countv. 

* 

Bv 1880 there were 1600 farms which have increased to about 
2500 at the present time. Since 1880 wheat raising has de¬ 
clined two-thirds while oat growing has increased four, and rye 
seven times. Due to the too continuous raising of wheat, the 
yields were reduced for a time and because also of low prices 
and plant diseases the raising of this crop fell off. As commu¬ 
nication and marketing facilities became better, live stock and 
dairy farming came to the front. At present much more live 
stock is sold from the farms than formerly and cheese factories 
and silos are becoming generally distributed in the Avest half 
of the county, though grain raising still holds a large share of 
the agricultural activity of several of the townships. 

Agricultural development in the eastern half of the county 
has been very slow, and by far the greater proportion of this 
land is unimproved. Future progress in this region will depend 
upon the drainage of the marshes and in the development of 
methods through which the farming of the sandy soils and 
marsh lands can be made profitable. 


80 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 


CHAPTER VIII 


CLIMATE 


The climate of that portion of Jackson county lying east of 
Black River is typical of the large area of central Wisconsin 
which has been described in a study of the climate of Wisconsin* 
as the Wisconsin River Basin. This region appears to be slightly 



cooler than the Mississippi Valley to the west or the Michigan 
shore to the east, being cooler than the former in summer, and 
colder than the latter in winter. This Wisconsin River Basin 
averages about ten days in winter when the temperature drops 


*Wis. Exp. Station Bulletin No. 223. 





















































































CLIMATE. 


81 


lower than ten degrees below zero, and thirteen days in summer 
when the termometer rises above ninety. The growing season 
is somewhat shorter, owing probably to the altitude and the 
sandy soil and marshy condition of much of the land. Mauston, 
which is the county seat of Juneau county, has an average sea¬ 
son of 130 days between frosts as compared with 160 days at 
La Crosse to the west, 149 at Oshkosh, and 167 at Sheboygan at 
the east. Stevens Point has an average growing season of 126 
days. From the accompanying chart it will be noted that the 
growing season of the Wisconsin River Basin averages from 130 
to 140 days between killing frosts. There are many places 
with this basin, however, especially along the marsh land where 
killing frosts may occur any month during the year. 

The western part of Jackson county which ranges in elevation 
from one to three hundred feet above the eastern portion, falls 
within the southern Highlands Division as another climatic pro¬ 
vince in Wisconsin. This region is extremely rough and broken, 
and by consulting the chart it will be noted that a portion of 
this region has a growing season somewhat longer than the region 
in the Wisconsin River Basin. This region is almost entirely 
free from marshes; practically all of the land is well drained. 

From the appended table of average temperatures and rainfall 
from the station of Hatfield in Jackson county, it will be noted 
that the annual temperature is 44.1 degrees Fahrenheit, and 
the annual mean temperature is 30.62 inches. This rainfall is 
so distributed that the greater part of it comes during the grow¬ 
ing season, and while this is true, it frequently happens that 
during the latter part of the summer of some years, crops suffer 
from a lack of moisture. This is especially true on the soils 
of light texture, which predominate in the eastern part of the 
county. The average date for the last killing frost in the spring 
at Hatfield is May 20, and the day of the first killing frost in 
the fall is September 21, giving an average growing season of 
124 days. This is somewhat shorter than the period given for 
the whole Wisconsin River Basin. 

This short growing season as well as the sand soils aid in 
explaining the comparatively small amount of corn raised in 
this region, and the more extensive development of the potato 
industry. While corn does not always mature in this region, 
it can be safely grown as a crop for the silo, and for such use, 
the acreage could be materially extended. 


82 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY. 





The following table gives the average annual temperature 
and rainfall conditions at Hatfield, a station in the north central 
part of the county on the Green Bay Railroad. 

Mean temperature in degrees Fahrenheit: 

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Annual 

14.9 14.3 28.4 46.9 58.8 66.9 70.6 67.7 60.8 48.8 32.4 18.5 44.1 

Mean rainfall in inches: 

0.83 0.71 1.29 2.48 4.63 4.50 3.56 3.09 3.49 3.07 1.61 1.36 30.62 










SUMMARY. 


83 


SUMMARY 

Jackson county is located in the west central part of Wiscon¬ 
sin, and comprises 1,001 square miles or 640,640 acres. It may 
be divided roughly into two distinct topographical and agricul¬ 
tural regions. The western part, west of the Black River, is 
largely a rough rolling country with soil of good quality pre¬ 
dominating and an agriculture which is highly developed, while 
east of the Black River the region is largely an extensive sandy 
plain with many marshes, with the predominating soil of low 
agricultural value and being but slightly improved. 

While the first settlement was made as early as 1818 or 1819, 
there was but little in the way of agricultural development prior 
to 1850. The county was established in 1853, and the village 
of Black River Falls was incorporated in 1866. All of the west¬ 
ern part of the county is now well settled, but in the eastern 
part the region is very sparsely settled. 

Two railway systems traverse the area, and these provide 
transportation facilities for the region, although some portions 
of the county are quite distant from the nearest shipping point. 
From Black River Falls to Madison is 127 miles, and to Chicago 
250 miles, while to Minneapolis it is 152 miles. These distances 
are over the Chicago and Northwestern Line. 

The mean annual temperature is about 43.8 degrees, and the 
mean annual precipitation 31.6 inches. The marshy region in 
the eastern part of the county is much more liable to have sum¬ 
mer frosts than the hilly country to the west. 

In the western part of the county, agriculture is well devel¬ 
oped, and the region is in a prosperous condition, while in the 
eastern part there is but little development, due to the sandy 
and marshy condition of the soils. 

Jackson county lies almost entirely within the unglaciated por¬ 
tion of the state, and the soils have been derived largely from 
the disintegration products of the underlying sandstone and 
shale, and also from the wind blown material known as loess. 
In addition to these sources of origin there are also large tracts 


SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY. 


84 


which have been modified by the action of water ami deposited 
in the form of stream terraces or valley fill. Accumulations of 
vegetable matter have also given rise to extensive bodies of 
peat, and smaller accumulations of organic matter have modified 
several of the various soil formations. 

Including rough stony land and peat, twenty-eight types of 
soil were recognized and mapped in Jackson county. 

The Knox series includes the light-colored upland soils which 
are largely of loessial origin, and which include the best exten¬ 
sive tracts of land in this region. Knox silt loam, with its steep 
phase was mapped. 

The Boone series includes soils derived directly from the 
weathering of the Potsdam sandstone. In some cases some shale 
and also loess had modified some of the types. The types mapped 
are Boone loam, fine sandy loam, fine sand, sand, with phases 
of some of these types. 

Lintonia soils are made up chiefly of secondary loess now 
found as terraces throughout the region of Knox soils. The 
types mapped are Lintonia silt loam, loam, and fine sandy loam. 

Bates soils are very similar to the Knox, except they are dark- 
colored, semi-prairie soils. The silt loam was the only type 
mapped. 

The Plainfield series consists of light-colored alluvial soils 
found as terraces, valley fill, or outwash plains. In this county, 
the following types were mapped: Plainfield fine sandy loam, 
sandy loam, sand, and fine sand. 

The Vesper series consists of residual soils which have been 
derived largely from a shaly phase of the Potsdam sandstone, 
and which usually have a subsoil containing considerable clay 
or shaly material. They are nearly level, and usually rather 
poorly drained because of the shale in the subsoil. The types 
mapped are Vesper silt loam, fine sandy loam, and sandy loam. 

The Dunning series consists of low lying dark-colored poorly 
drained sandy soils bordering marshy tracts. It may be resid¬ 
ual or alluvial in origin. Only the Dunning sand was mapped 
in this area. 

The Wabash series includes the dark colored bottom land soils 
in the western part of the area, where the upland soils are 
largely Knox silt loam. The types silt loam and loam were 
mapped. 


SUMMARY. 


85 


The Genesee series includes the light-colored first bottom soils. 
The types mapped are silt loam, fine sandy loam, and fine sand, 
Peat consists of decaying vegetable matter in various stages 
of decomposition. Several depths were indicated in the field 
work, and of these, the shallow phase is shown on the final map. 

Hough stony land consists of steep, rough, and rocky land 
which is too rough or too rocky to be cultivated. Its chief value 
is for the limited amount of pasture which it affords. 










WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 

W: O: HOTCHKISS, Director and State Geologist 
A: R: WHITSON, In Charge Division of Soils 

3IL SURVEY IN COOPERATION WITH THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 

H. L. RUSSELL, Dean 


BULLETIN NO. 54--C 


SOIL SERIES NO. 25 


SOIL SURVEY 

OF 

WAUPACA COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


BY 

A. R. WHITSON, W. J. GEIB, and MARTIN O. TOSTERUD 

OIF THE 

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 

AND 


CLARENCE LOUNSBURY 


SURVEY CONDUCTED IN ( 
DEPARTMENT OF A 
MILTC 
CURTIS F. MARB 


MADIS. 

PUB LI SHI 









STATES 


Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 


BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. 

EMANUEL L. PHILIPP, 

Governor of the State. 

EDWARD A. BIRGE, President. 

President of the University of Wisconsin. 

President of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 

CHARLES P. CARY, Vice-President. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 


STAFF OF THE SURVEY, 1919. 

ADMINISTRATION: 

William 0. Hotchkiss, State Geologist, Director and Superintendent. 

In immediate charge of Geology Division. 

Ernest F. Bean, Assistant State Geologist. 

Lillian M. Veerhusen, Chief Clerk. 

Frances Walker, Clerk'and Stenographer. 

Angeline Doll, Clerk. 

GEOLOGY DIVISION: 

William 0. Hotchkiss, In charge. 

Ernest F. Bean, Geologist, Mineral Land Classification. 

T. C. Chamberlin, Consulting Geologist, Pleistocene Geology. 

E. 0. Ulrich, Consulting Geologist, Stratigraphy, by cooperation of the 

U. S. G. S. 

H. R. Aldrich, Geologist. 

R. H. Whitbeck, Geographer. 

Edw. iSteidtmann, Geologist, Limestones 

F. T. Thwaites, Geologist, Well Records, Educational Rock Collection. 


NATURAL HISTORY DIVISION: 
Edward A. Birge, In charge. 
Chancey Juday, Lake Survey. 


w 


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BJ ° 

w £> 


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E « H 


DIVISION OF SOILS: 

A. R. Whitson, In charge. 

W. J. Geib, Inspector and Editor. 

M. J. Dunnewald, Field Assistant and Analyst. 

M. 0. Tosterud, Field Assistant and Analyst 
F. J. O’Connell, Field Assistant 
V. C. Leaper, Field Assistant 
B W. H. Pierre, Field Assistant 
£ J. E. Kubier, Field Assistant 

^Scientist in Soil Survey, In charge of field parties for The Bureau of Soils, U. 


Apartment of Agricult 

° £ 
£ 5* 


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ure. 


S. 







I 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 


Page 

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 3 

ILLUSTRATIONS . 5 

INTRODUCTION . 7 

CHAPTER I. 

General description of area. 11 

Soils . 14 

CHAPTER II. 

Group of Heavy Soils . 18 

Kennan silt loam. 18 

Antigo silt loam. 19 

Chemical composition and fertility of Kennan and Antigo silt 

loams . 20 

Superior clay loam . 22 

Superior silt loam . 24 

Superior silt loam, rolling phase. 25 

Chemical composition and fertility of Superior clay, silt loam, 
and silt loam, rolling phase. 25 

CHAPTER III. 

Group of Loams and [Fine Sandy Loams. 28 

Kennan loam . 28 

Kennan fine sandy loam. 30 

Antigo loam . 32 

Antigo fine sandy loam.«.. 32 

Chemical composition and improvement of Antigo loam and 

fine sandy loam. 33 

Superior loam . 35 

Superior loam, rolling phase. 36 

Superior fine sandy loam. 38 

Superior fine sandy loam, rolling phase. 39 

Superior sandy loam. 41 

Superior sandy loam, rolling phase. 41 

Chemical composition and improvement of Superior loam, fine 

sandy loam, and sandy loam. 43 

* 





























4 


TABLE OF CONTENTS . 


CHAPTER IV. 

Page 

Group of Sandy Loams and Fine Sands . 45 

Plainfield fine sand . 45 

Plainfield sandy loam . 46 

Coloma fine sand. 47 

Vilas sandy loam. 48 

Chemical composition and fertility of sandy loams and fine 
sands . 50 

CHAPTER V. 

Group of Sand Soils. 53 

Plainfield sand . 53 

Vilas sand . 54 

Chemical composition and fertility of sands. 56 

CHAPTER VI. 

Group of Poorly Drained Sotls . 59 

Genesee fine sandy loam. 59 

Genesee silt loam . 60 

Whitman silt loam. 60 

Dunning fine sandy loam. 62 

Poygan clay loam . 63 

Poygan fine sandy loam. 64 

Poygan silt loam . 65 

Chemical composition and fertility of Poygan clay loam, silt 

loam and fine sandy loam. 66 

Peat . 67 

CHAPTER VII. 

General Agriculture of Waupaca County . 72 

Climate . 81 

Summary. 83 

























ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES AND FIGURES 

Page 

Plate I. View showing gently rolling features characteristics of 


the Kennan series... 19 

View showing utilization of stony land. 19 


Plate II. An implement for lifting and removing large bowlders 27 
View showing surface features typical of the Superior 
series of soils. 27 


Plate III. View showing rolling surface of Vilas sand 
Typical level surface of Plainfield sand.. . 


55 

55 


Figure I. Sketch map of state showing areas surveyed. 11 

Figure II. Sketch map showing geological formations. 15 


MAP 

Soil map of Waupaca county, Wisconsin.Attached to back cover 












INTRODUCTION 


Before the greatest success in agriculture can be reached, it 
is necessary that the farmer should have a thorough knowledge 
of the soil upon his own farm. A soil may be well adapted to 
one crop, and poorly adapted to another crop. Clover will pro¬ 
duce a vigorous growth and profitable yields on the average 
loam soil which contains lime and is in a sweet condition; but 
on a sandy soil which is sour, or in an acid condition, clover 
will not make a satisfactory growth. We may say, therefore, 
that failure is certain to be invited when such important facts 
are disregarded, or overlooked. The degree of success which it 
is possible to win on any farm is in direct proportion to the 
practical knowledge possessed by the farmer concerning the soil 
and its adaptation to crops. A thorough knowledge of the soil 
is as essential to the farmer as a knowledge of merchandise and 
business methods is to the merchant. 

The State of Wisconsin, working in cooperation with the 
United States Department of Agriculture, is making a careful 
study of soils and agricultural conditions throughout Wiscon¬ 
sin, and is preparing soilmaps and soil reports of all counties 
in the State. A soil map shows the location and extent of the 
different kinds of soil. Tracts of 10 acres and over are mapped, 
but often areas of even smaller extent are shown. The soil 
map is prepared by trained men, who go over a county thor¬ 
oughly, and examine the soil by making a sufficient number of 
borings to a depth of 36 inches to keep account of all varia¬ 
tions. A report is also made, to accompany and explain the 
map, and this is based upon a careful study of the soils within 
the region surveyed, and upon such other features as have a 
direct bearing upon the agriculture of the area. 

It is the object of this survey to make an inventory of the 
soils of the State, and to be of practical help to farmers by lo¬ 
cating and describing the different soils, by determining their 
physical character and chemical composition, and by offering 



8 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


suggestions for their management, based upon the work of the 
Soil Survey within the area, covered in the report, and upon 
the results of field tests made by the Experiment Station. 

Soil fertility depends upon two factors: first, upon the physi¬ 
cal characteristics of the soil, such as water holding capacity, 
workability, etc., and second, upon the chemical composition 
of the material composing the soil. The chemical composition 
depends upon the mode of origin of the soil, and the source of 
material from which the soil is derived. 

Water holding capacity and other physical properties of soil 
all depend chiefly upon texture, which refers to the size of the 
individual soil grains, or particles. A coarse sandy soil, for ex¬ 
ample, will not retain moisture so long as a loam soil, or clay 
loam, because the finer the soil grains, the greater will be the 
total soil-grain surface area to -which moisture may adhere. 
Texture is determined in the field by rubbing the soil between 
the thumb and fingers, and with experience one soon becomes 
expert at judging the size of soil grains. This field judgment 
is verified in the laboratory by a mechanical analysis, which 
is made by a simple method of separating soil grains into dif¬ 
ferent groups, of which there are seven. These are known as 
clay, silt, very fine sand, fine sand, medium sand, coarse sand, 
and fine gravel. 

A chemical analysis is also made of the soil to determine the 
amounts of various essential plant-food elements which are 
present. A chemical analysis shows whether the soil contains 
a large store of plant food, or only a small quantity, and it in¬ 
dicates which kinds of plant food will probably be needed first. 
The amount of organic matter in the soil is also determined, and 
tests are made to show conditions relative to soil acidity. 


SOIL CLASSIFICATION 

Soils are grouped according to texture into soil classes, a soil 
class being made up of soils having the same texture, though 
differing in other respects. A fine sand, for example, may be 
light colored and of alluvial origin, while another fine sand may 
be dark in color and of residual origin, while a third fine sand 
may have been blown into sand dunes by the wind, yet all of 
these soils would belong to the same class, because the greater 


INTRODUCTION. 


9 


proportion of the soil grains have the same size or texture. 
Thus we may have different kinds of clays, loams, sands, etc., 
and the class to which any soil will belong depends upon the 
size of the individual soil grains of which it is composed, and 
not upon its color, origin, topographic position, or agricultural 
value. 

■Soils Containing Less Than 20% Silt and Clay 

Coarse sand.—Over 25% fine gravel and coarse sand, and less than 
50% of any other grade of sand. 

Sand.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand, and less than 
50% fine sand. 

Fine sand.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, coarse 
and medium sand. 

Very fine sand.—Over 50% very fine sand. 

Soils Containing Between 20-50% of Silt and Clay 

Sandy loam.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand. 

Fine sandy loam.—Over '50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, 
coarse and medium sand. 

Sandy clay.—Less than 20% silt. 

Soils Containing over 50% of Silt and Clay. 

* 

Loam.—Less than 20% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silt loam.—Less than 20% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silty clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and over 5»0% silt. 

Clay.—Over 30% clay. 

Soils may may be grouped in another way. Where soils are 
closely related through similar sources of the material from 
which derived, mode of origin, topographic position, etc., so 
that the different soils constitute merely a graduation in text¬ 
ure of otherwise uniform material, such a group is called a soil 
series. It corresponds to the family which is made up of dif¬ 
ferent individuals having the same parentage. The Miami 
series, for examples, includes light colored, glacial material 
where the soils have been derived largely from the underlying 
limestone, and the soils in the series range in texture from a clay 
loam to sand and gravel. The Plainfield series includes light 
colored soils in regions where no limestone is present, where the 
parent rock was largely sandstone, and where the material oc¬ 
curs as outwash plains or stream terraces. The soils in this 
series also have a wide range in texture. The name used for a 
soil series usually indicates the locality where that particular 
series was first recognized and mapped by the Soil Survey. 


30 SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 

By uniting the soil class with the soil series we get the 
soil type which is the basis or unit of classifying and mapping 
soils. A soil type thus, is a soil which is uniform throughout 
its entire extent in texture, color, topographic position, and 
other physical properties, and having a distinct agricultural 
unity, that is, being adapted to the same crops, and requiring 
the same treatment. It is also uniform in the source of ma¬ 
terial from which it is derived, and the mode of origin which, 
taken together, determine the chemical composition. Since the 
soil type is the unit in classifying and mapping soils, and the 
basis upon which experimental work should be conducted, every 
farmer should be familiar with the soil types on his farm, and 
their leading characteristics. 




SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY, 

WISCONSIN 


» 


CHAPTER I. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OP THE AREA 

Waupaca County is situated a little to the east of the center 
of the State of Wisconsin. It comprises an area of about 759, 
square miles, or 485,760 acres. Waupaca, the county seat, is 221 
miles from Chicago and 146 miles from Milwaukee by rail. 



/Figure I. Sketch map showing the areas surveyed. 

The surface features of the region may be considered as fall¬ 
ing into three divisions. In the northwestern quarter of the 
county, which is the highest portion of the area, the surface 
varies from gently rolling to hilly, and in many places stones 
and boulders are very plentiful. This portion of the county is 
underlain by granitic rocks which outcrop frequently. 





























































12 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


The southwestern quarter of the county is characterized by 
extensive sandy plains. The surface is, for the most part, level 
and is almost entirely stone free. In this region there are a 
number of beautiful lakes chiefly in Farmington and Dayton 
townships. 

The region which may be considered as forming the third 
class occupies the greater portion of the east half of the county. 
The surface varies from level to gently rolling, and the most 
characteristic feature is the heavy red clay subsoil. This is the 
lowest portion of the county. While the underlying material 
is of a clayey nature, and while the surface soil is also fre¬ 
quently heavy in character, there are a number of places 
throughout this region where there are areas of fine sand which 
appear to have been dumped down upon the red clay. It is 
frequent to find therefore very sharp soil boundary lines where 
the range in texture changes from a fine sand to a loam or clay 
within a very short distance. 

The region of highest elevation is found in the northwestern 
part of the county, and the general slope is from this section 
to the south and also to the east. Elevations above sea level at 
various places are as follows: lola 930 feet; Waupaca 870 feet; 
Manawa 828 feet; Northport 779 feet; New London 767 feet; 
and Weyauwega 779 feet. 


All of the county lies within the drainage basin of the Wolf 
River, which flows in a southwesterly direction across the south¬ 
eastern portion of the county. The Embarrass River, which is 
one of its largest tributaries, enters the Wolf near New London 
n short distance outside of Waupaca County. The Little Wolf, 
Pigeon and Waupaca Rivers are smaller streams within the 
county. All of these drainage waters flow through the Wolf into 
the Fox River and thence into Green Bay and Lake Michigan. 

Scattered throughout the county arc numerous marsh areas 
and some lakes. The most extensive tracts of marsh are found 
in the southeastern quarter of the county along the Wolf River, 
h or the most part the marsh areas of this countv arc still un- 
developed. 


The A\ olf River as it passes through this county is very slug¬ 
gish. The entire fall between Shawano and where the Wolf 
joins the Fox River is less than one-half foot per mile. The 
Embarrass River where it crosses the county is also sluggish. 
I he st reams flowing into these two rivers, however, from the 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


13 


west and coming out of the higher portions of the county, have 
considerable fall. Water power is being used in a limited way 
on these streams at Big Falls, Waupaca, Manawa, and Weyau- 
wega. There is considerable water power on these small streams 
which is still undeveloped. The water supply for stock and 
farming purposes throughout the county is. excellent. In the 
eastern half of the county there are many flowing wells and in 
the western half excellent water can be secured without diffi¬ 
culty. 


The first settler is reported to have arrived in Waupaca 
County in 1843, settling at the present site of Fremont. By 
1849 a number of settlers had taken up lands in the southern 
part of the county. The county was organized practically as 
now existing, in 1851—claims to the territory being finally sur¬ 
rendered by the Menomonie Indians in 1852. 

In 1910 the population *of Waupaca County was 32,782. Of 
the total population 83.7% is classed in the census report as 
rural. The density of the rural population is given as 36.1% 
persons per square mile. 

Waupaca, the county seat, had a population in 1910 of 2,789. 
New London, with a population of nearly 4,000, is located on 
the east county line, partly in Waupaca and partly in Outa¬ 
gamie County. Among other towns and villages within the 
area are Clintonville, Marion, Manawa, Ogdensbiirg, Scandi¬ 
navia, Iola, Weyauwega, Fremont, Royalton and Northport. 

Three railway systems have lines extending into this county. 
These railroads offer good transportation facilities to nearly all 
portions of the county. In the southwestern portion and in 
other regions where the soils are sandy, the wagon roads are 
usually of a sandy nature. Throughout the remainder of the 
county where the soils are heavier, the roads are naturally bet¬ 
ter. In many places they have been macadamized, and new and 
improved highways are constantly being built. Rural mail de¬ 
livery routes reach all parts of the county, and the telephone is 
in common use through the country districts. 

The towns within the county provide markets for consider¬ 
able farm produce, but most of the surplus from the farms is 
shipped to outside markets. Live stock goes mostly to Chicago 


* In the edition of this report published by the U. S. Bureau of Soils 
the population of Waupaca County was erroneously given as 23,782 

for 19il0. 



34 SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 

and Milwaukee, as does also the potato crop. Daily products 
find a market throughout the middle west. 


SOILS 

Waupaca County, in common with several other counties in 
the central portion of Wisconsin, owes the general character of 
its surface material to several distinct methods of accumula¬ 
tion. These materials may be glacial, lacustrine or alluvial. 
To these important agencies may be added the accumulation of 
organic matter in low places which has resulted in the forma¬ 
tion of peat. 

In the geological classification based upon the character of 
the underlying rocks, the county falls into three divisions. The 
surface rock in the northwestern portion of the county consists 
of crystalline rock, chiefly of granite and gneiss. Throughout 
this granitic rock region, rock outcrops are frequently seen. 
Stone and boulders are plentiful. 

In the extreme southeastern corner of the county in the 
southeastern portion of Caledonia township, there is a remnant 
of Lower Magnesian limestone which outcrops or comes very 
near the surface in Sections 11, 12, 13 and 14. 

All of the remainder of the county, which makes up a total 
of over half of the area surveyed, has Potsdam sandstone as the 
surface rock formation. As this rock is rather soft there are 
but few outcrops, and in most cases it is buried at a consider¬ 
able depth by glacial, lacustrine and alluvial materials. The 
accompanying sketch shows the extent of the three rock forma¬ 
tions within Waupaca County. 

All of the county has been traversed by an ice sheet of the 
Late Wisconsin glaciation. The section of the county having 
the most pronounced glacial features is the west half of the 
county, and especially the northwest quarter. Stream terraces 
and outwash plains are numerous in the southwestern part of 
the county, and rather extensive terraces are also found along 
Pigeon River in the north-central part of the county. Exten¬ 
sive alluvial deposits occur along the Embarrass and Wolf Riv¬ 
ers. Pot-holes, recessional moraines and drumlins are other 
evidences of glaciation which are found in various parts of the 
county. Marshes are quite plentiful, and from a geological 
standpoint the topography of the whole area is young. The 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


15 


large number of boulders which occur have probably not been 
transported for any great distance. 

The rock formations in the county have contributed to a 
greater or less extent in the formation of the soils. By far the 
greater proportion of the material has come from crystalline 
rocks and from sandstone. Since these materials were first de¬ 
posited by the ice sheet they have been modified by running wa¬ 
ter, by the action of wind, by weathering and by accumulation 



Fig. 2. Sketch map showing the surface rock formations in Waupaca County. All of 
these formations have contributed to the making of the soils. 

and decay of vegetable matter. In the soil survey of Waupaca 
County the soils have, been classified into eight series and thirty- 
two types, not including peat. In several instances, phases of 
some of the types have been recognized. 

The soil series (which correspond to the family groups) are 
not shown on the soil map which accompanies this report, and 
are described here only very briefly. The individual soil types, 
however, are shown on the map, each being indicated by a dis¬ 
tinct color. It is the soil type in which we are especially inter¬ 
ested, since the type is the unit in mapping and classification 
of soils.. Following is a complete list of the soil types mapped 
in the county and the series or family groups to which each type 























































































































































16 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


belongs. Following this general discussion of the soils will be 
found a full and detailed description of all of the types, to¬ 
gether with statements covering the present uses of the soils and 
the methods through which each type can best be improved. 

The Kennan series includes light colored upland soils in the 
timbered regions where the soils have been derived through gla¬ 
cial action from granitic rocks. These soils are always acid, and 
are frequently quite stony. The types mapped in Waupaca 
County are the Kennan fine sandy loam, loam and silt loam. 

The Antigo series also includes light colored upland soils in 
the timbered region where the material has been derived from 
glaciated granitic debris which has been deposited by water in 
the form of level plains taking the form of outwash plains or 
stream terraces. The lower subsoil of the types in this series is 
usually sandy or gravelly. The types mapped are the fine sandy 
loam, loam and silt loam. 

The most characteristic feature of the Superior series is the 
heavy red clay subsoil which was deposited in quiet waters and 
later modified to varying degrees by glacial action. Typically 
the surface is level or nearly so, and the natural drainage some¬ 
what deficient. \\ here the surface is sufficiently rolling to in¬ 
sure fair to good drainage the term “rolling phase” is attached 
to the various types. The types mapped here are the Superior 
sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam and clay loam. All 

of these types except the clay loam have a rolling phase which 
is shown on the map. 

The Coloma series includes light colored upland soils where 
Ihe material has been derived chiefly from sandstone rocks 
through glacial action. A arying amounts of granitic material 
are mixed in with the sandstone particles. The types mapped 
are Coloma sand and fine sand. 

The Plainfield series is made up of the same material as the 

( oloma except that it has been deposited by water in the form 

of level plains, known as stream terraces or outwash plains. 

The hypes mapped are the Plainfield fine sand, sand and sandy 
loam. 

The Whitman series includes dark brown to black soils which 
occur m depressions or along stream channels where the ma¬ 
terial has been derived largely from granitic glacial drift. On 
account of the low position and poor drainage there has been 
an accumulation of organic matter which accounts for the dark 
color. The only type mapped in Ibis area is Whitman silt loam. 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


17 


The Povgan series includes the dark brown to black soils 
which occupy depressions in the region of Superior soils. The 
subsoil is the same heavy red clay found under the Superior 
types. The natural drainage is poor and there has developed 
a considerable amount of organic matter in the surface soil. 
The types mapped are Povgan fine sandy loam, silt loam and 
clay loam. 

The Dunning scries includes dark colored, light textured soils 
occupying low poorly drained areas, chiefly in the region where 
the soils are largely of sandstone origin. The only type mapped 
in the series in Waupaca County is Dunning fine sandy loam. 

The Genesee series includes the brownish soils which occur as 

first bottom land along the streams of the area. This land is 

* / 

subject to annual overflow and so can seldom be utilized for cul¬ 
tivated crops. The types mapped are the fine sandy loam and 
silt loam. 

In addition to the soils included in the nine series described 
above, a large amount of peat has been mapped. This peat con¬ 
sists of accumulations of vegetable matter in varying stages of 
decomposition and with which there has been incorporated a 
small proportion of mineral matter. 

In subsequent pages of this report the various soil types 
mapped in Waupaca County are discussed in detail. The dis¬ 
tribution of the various soils is shown on the map accompany¬ 
ing this report. 


2—w. o. 
















SOTL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


18 


CHAPTER II. 

GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS 
Kennan Silt Loam 

Extent and Distribution .—This type is not extensive, it cov¬ 
ering a total area of less than 16 square miles. It is confined 
almost entirely to the northwest quarter of the county. Tracts 
seldom exceed two square miles in extent. Most of this soil is 
found north of AVaupaca, between Waupaca and Scandinavia, 
to the west of Scandinavia, and also to the west and south of 
Iola. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to a depth of about 
10 inches consists of a brown or grayish-brown, or in the upper 
few inches of virgin areas dark brown, friable silt loam. The 
subsoil consists of yellow or light yellowish brown silt loam, 
which usually becomes somewhat heavier with depth to 16 to 21 
inches, where the texture is lighter,—a fine sandy loam, sandy 
loam, or sandy clay loam, usually containing varying amounts 
of fine gravel. The line between the silty covering and the 
coarser material is often quite sharp. The surface material is 
usually free from gravel, while the deep subsoil may contain a 
considerable amount of it. Boulders occur on the surface in 
rather irregular distribution. In places they are sufficiently nu¬ 
merous to interfere with cultivation. Some have been removed, 
but others are so large that moving them is difficult. Some 
areas are practically stone free. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface varies from gently 
rolling to hilly, and because of the surface features the natural 
drainage is good. There is not much danger from erosion, al¬ 
though this should be kept in mind, and the steeper slopes kept 
covered with a growing crop as much of the time as possible. 

Origin .—The material forming this soil has been derived 
largely from crystalline rocks through glacial action. Nearly 
all of the boulders present are of crystalline rocks also. There 
is no calcareous material present and both soil and subsoil 
acid. 


are 



Wis. Geol. and Natural Hist. Survey. 


Plate I. 



SHOWING GENTLY ROLLING SURFACE FEATURES CHARACTER¬ 
ISTIC OF A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE SOIL IN THE 

KENNAN SERIES. 

Many areas of this soil are stone free, or nearly so. The silt loam, 
loam and fine sandy loam as found in this county are for the most 
part, very good agricultural land. 



SHOWING UTILIZATION OF STONY LAND. 

Soils of the Kennan series are stony in some places and stone free 
in other places. Where the stones interfere seriously with cultivation, the 
land, such as shown here, supplies excellent grazing. 








GROUP OF HARVEY SOILS. 


19 


Native vegetation. —The original timber growth on this soil 
consisted of maple, birch, hemlock, with some basswood, oak and 
elm. Some white and Norway pine were also mixed in with the 
hardwood. All of the pine has been removed, and the best of 
the hardwood has also been cut, but there are still limited tracts 
where some merchantable timber remains. 

Present agricultural development .*—A considerable propor¬ 
tion of this type is cleared, under cultivation, and in highly im¬ 
proved farms. It is good soil for general farming and dairy¬ 
ing—the chief lines to which it is devoted. The chief crops 
grown are small grain, corn, and hay. Potatoes are also grown 
on a commercial scale on some farms, and sugar beets do well, 
though not grown to any extent at present. Peas are grown to 
a limited extent. Com for ensilage is a certain crop, but corn 
will not always mature in this latitude on account of frosts. 
By growing early varieties and by selecting the fields which 
warm up readily and permit early planting, the danger from 
frosts can be materially reduced. Commercial fertilizers will 
hasten growth and frequently reduce the time required for ma¬ 
turing the crop by one or two weeks. 

Antigo Silt Loam 

Extent and distribution. —This type is of limited extent and 
is found chiefly in the west central part of the county in the 
vicinity of Sheridan, about 2 miles north of Waupaca, south of 
Scandinavia and between Scandinavia and Iola. 

Description. —The surface soil of the silt loam to an average 
depth of 8-10 inches consists of a grayish brown silt loam which 
frequently approaches a loam in texture. The material is usu¬ 
ally rather compact in its natural condition but when placed 
under cultivation, its structure permits the securing of good 
tilth very readily. The upper subsoil consists of a light brown, 
compact loam or silt loam which at about 14r-16 inches grades 
into a buff colored or slightly yellowish brown silty clay loam. 
Below 24 inches, the subsoil changes abruptly into a mixture of 
sand and gravel containing very little clay. The depth to this 
gravelly material is variable and in several instances was found 
to vary from less than one foot to about three feet. 


* For chemical composition and fertility see page 20. 



20 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


In most cases this soil is free from large stones and bowlders; 
although about the margins of areas some may be found, and 
stones from 4-8. inches in diameter may also occur in small 
numbers. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface varies from level to 
very slightly undulating and because of the underlying coarse 
material, the natural drainage is good. There are only a few 
small sags or potholes where the drainage is deficient. 

Origin. —The type is of alluvial origin and consists largely of 
crystalline glacial debris deposited as outwash material or val¬ 
ley fill. None of the soil-forming particles are of a calcareous 
nature, and the type shows varying degrees of acidity. 

Native vegetation. —The original timber growth consisted of 
maple, birch, and hemlock with a small amount of pine. 

Present agricultural development .—Antigo silt loan is an 
excellent soil and most of it is cleared, placed under cultivation, 
and in prosperous farms. Its freedom from stones makes it 
more desirable than some of the upland types. The type is 
well adapted to small grains, grasses, potatoes, root crops, etc. 
Corn makes excellent silage and often matures, but cannot be 
counted on to mature every season. 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF ANTIGO SILT LOAM, AND 

KENNAN SILT LOAM 

The soils of the Antigo, and Kennan series have a good sup¬ 
ply of the mineral elements phosphorus and potassium. 

Phosphorus. —The total amount of phosphorus in an acre to 
a depth of 8 inches varies from 1,100 to 1,400 pounds. This 
would be sufficient for 100 to 150 crops if all were available, but 
it is never practicable to secure good growth from such soils af¬ 
ter the total phosphorous has been reduced to six or eight 
hundred pounds and better results are always secured when the 
total phosphorous content of this layer of soil is retained at 
from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds per acre 8 inches. A farmer on this 
land, therefore, should adopt plans which will maintain the 
present supply ol this element rather than attempt to draw on 
it even for a short number of years. The availabilitv of this 
element requires a good supply of organic matter. 

I ot as slum. The element potassium exists in very much larger 
amounts in these soils than does the element phosphorus—in 
fact they contain on the average approximately 30,000 pounds 


GROUP OF HARVEY HOI EH. 


21 


of this element per acre to a depth of 8 inches. This is a suf¬ 
ficient supply to meet the demands of heavy crops for several 
hundred years. The entire problem with reference to potas¬ 
sium therefore, is connected with its availability. When a good 
supply of active organic matter is present it can be assumed 
that there is sufficient potassium made available for practically 
all crops grown on this land. In the case of a few special crops 
requiring unusually large amounts of this element, such as cab¬ 
bage and tobacco, the use of potash fertilizers may in some cases 
be profitable. The system of farming followed will also influ¬ 
ence the potassium supply. A large paid of this element goes 
to the stalks and straw of the plant so that if the hay and rough 
forage is fed the greater portion of this element is returned to 
the land in the manure—differing radically from phosphorous 
which goes to the grain and is, therefore, more likely to be sold. 

Organic matter and nitrogen .—Compared with prairie soils 
which have shown a lasting fertility, these soils are distinctly 
low in organic matter and nitrogen. In fact, most upland soils 
of wooded regions are low in organic matter. However, the vege¬ 
table matter which they do contain when first cleared and broken 
is of an active character, but provision should be made for 
maintaining and increasing this material. When stock raising 
is practiced manure is available and is of course good as far as 
it goes, but on comparatively few farms is there sufficient ma¬ 
nure produced to maintain the organic matter in soils of this 
character and other means should be used to supplement the 
barnyard manure. Green manuring crops should be used as far 
as possible, turning under the second crop of clover whenever 
this can be done rather than using it for pasture. Seeding 
clover in corn at the last cultivation will secure good growth 
when the season is favorable. Cultivated ground when used for 
pasture should not be grazed closely. 

Nitrogen is perhaps the most essential element of plant food 
and large amounts are used by all crops. It exists only in the 
organic or vegetable matter of the soil, there being none what¬ 
ever in the earthy material derived from the rocks. Soils 
which are low in organic matter are therefore, also low in ni¬ 
trogen. By all means the cheapest source of this element is 
through the growth of legumes such as clover, alfalfa, soy beans, 
etc., which collect it from the atmosphere. When these crops 
are turned under thev contain an abundance of this element. 


22 


SOIL SURVEY OE WAUPACA COUNTY. 


When fed to stock a portion only is returned to the land. But 
when land of the character of that under discussion is used for 
mixed farming so that at least one-fourth produces a good crop 
of clover or alfalfa each year the supply of nitrogen can be 
maintained on a dairy or stock farm, but where any considei- 
able portion of the land is in crops which are sold entirely one- 
third or more would have to be in some legume crop to main¬ 
tain the nitrogen supply. 

Acidity and liming .—Since all of these soils were formed 
from rocks not containing lime carbonate they are essentially 
all acid. The degree of acidity varies from one which would 
require 1,000 to that which would require 5,000 pounds or more 
lime to correct. This acidity is not in itself a direct detriment 
to the growth of most farm crops but is an indication that there 
is not enough lime present for crops which need a good deal of 
that element. Clover will do well while this soil is new even 
though acid, but after this land has been cropped a number of 
years the acidity should be corrected to secure the best results 
with medium red or mammoth clover. Alfalfa is very sensi¬ 
tive to acidity and lime in some form must be used to secure 
good results with this crop even on new land. Other crops also 
are benefited by lime. 

Crops .—The Antigo and Kennan soils are adapted to a wide 
range of crops including corn, potatoes, and root crops as well 
as grasses and small grains. The soils of these types are well 
adapted to the development of dairy farming on account of 
their unusual fitness for the growing of hay and pasture. 

SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—The Superior clay loam is confined 
to the eastern half of the county chiefly to the south eastern 
quarter within the valley of the Wolf River. The most impor¬ 
tant areas are found in the vicinity of Fremont and Weyau- 
wega. A few small tracts are found near Clintonville and 
Northport also, and others are scattered about through the east¬ 
ern part of the area. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to an average 
depth of 6 to 8 inches consists of a grayish-brown to light choc¬ 
olate brown clay loam or frequentlya silty clay loam. The sub¬ 
soil is a heavy, compact pinkish-red clay which extends to a 
depth greater than three feet, though below 30 inches the ma- 


GROUP OP HARVEY SOlLti. 


23 


terial frequently becomes somewhat lighter, both in color and 
texture. Throughout the subsoil thin streaks of ashy gray fre¬ 
quently appear, and it is probable that these mark the location 
of former cracks into which surface silty material has been 
washed. Upon drying large cracks are formed in the surface 
and these extend to a considerable depth into the subsoil. These 
are of course most noticeable in uncultivated fields. Occasion¬ 
ally water worn gravel and a few small stones are found upon 
the surface and mixed with the soil but these are always of very 
limited number. In some places in the deep subsoil there is 
found a substratum of medium to fine sand. This is seldom 
more than a few inches thick when the red clay is again en¬ 
countered. This condition is found chiefly east of Fremont. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of the Superior clay 
loam is level or nearly so, and because of the heavy character 
of the subsoil the natural drainage is deficient. Many farmers 
have laid out open ditches or have laid out the fields in narrow 
lands so that the dead furrows would serve as surface drains. 
Some of the most progressive farmers have installed tile drains 
with very marked success and it is only a question of time un¬ 
til practically all of this type will be fully tile drained. 

Origin. —The material forming this soil is largely of lacus¬ 
trine origin, but since its first deposition by quiet waters it has 
been more or less influenced by the action of glacial ice. Typi¬ 
cally the Superior soils contain considerable carbonate of lime, 
and varying amounts are found in this type, especially in the 
subsoil. The surface is usually not acid, though in some cases 
a slight acidity has developed. 

Native Vegetation. —The original timber growth consisted of 
hickory, oak, elm, birch, some maple, and poplar. By far the 
greater part of the timber has been removed. 

Present agricultural development * —A considerable propor¬ 
tion of the Superior clay loam is being utilized for farming pur¬ 
poses. The best drained portions are devoted to cultivated 
crops, and the less well drained tracts are used for hay and pas¬ 
ture. When thoroughly drained this is an excellent soil, though 

some what difficult to handle because of its heavv texture. Tt 

«/ 

is devoted to general farm crops consisting of hay, small grains, 
corn and potatoes, and where drained good yields are secured. 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 25. 


I 



24 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Considerable fall plowing is done and in general up-to-date 
methods of cultivation are being practiced. 

SUPERIOR SILT LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—This type is of limited extent and 
is confined to a few areas in the eastern half of the county. 
The more important tracts are found east of Clintonville, and 
north and northwest from Manawa. 

Description. —The surface soil of this type to a depth of from 
6 to 8 inches consists of light brown friable silt loam which con¬ 
tains only a moderate amount of organic matter. In some of 
the lower locations the surface contains more'organic matter 
than the average and here the color is somewhat darker than 
usual. The subsoil consists of a light reddish to pinkish red 
heavy compact clay loam which extend to a depth of over 3 feet. 
On drying large cracks are formed in both soil and subsoil, es¬ 
pecially in uncultivated places, and a section of the soil shows 
light colored streaks whicli were crevices into which some of the 
surface silt was washed. This soil is quite uniform, and closely 
resembles the clay loam type. The chief difference being the 
surface soil is somewhat more silty in character. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface is level to very gen¬ 
tly undulating, and because of the heavy nature of the subsoil 
the natural drainage is deficient. Where the type borders the 
rolling phase of Superior soils into which it grades very grad¬ 
ually it is frequently difficult to establish a boundary line, since 
the only difference between is in topography. 

Origin. —In origin this type is identical with the Superior 
clay loam, having been deposited in quiet waters, probably dur¬ 
ing interglacial time and then having been modified to a limited 
extent by glacial action. 

A alive vegetation. — The original timber consisted of hickory, 
elm, oak with some ash and willow in the wettest places. 

Present agricultural development.*— Most of this soil is 
cleared and being used for some agricultural purpose. Where 
drained it is mostly cultivated and excellent crops are usually 
secuied. Where not drained it is used chiefly for hay or pas¬ 
ture for which it is very well suited. When properly drained 
this is an excellent soil and well adapted to general farming 


- For chemical composition and improvement of tins soil see page 2">. 



GROUP OF HARVEY SOILS. 


25 


and dairying. The chief crops grown are small grains, corn 
and hay. 


SUPERIOR SILT LOAM, ROLLING PHASE 

This type is of limited extent and therefore of minor impor¬ 
tance. The largest tracts occur southeast and southwest from 
Marion and north of Manawa. 

The surface soil of this soil to a depth of about 8 inches con¬ 
sists of a brown or light brown silt loam which contains only 
a moderate amount of organic matter. This is underlain by 
a grayish silt loam or silty clay loam which at 14 to 16 inches 
is underlain by the typical pinkish-red heavy clay which is 
characteristic of the Superior soils. This extends to a depth 
usually much greater than 3 feet, though frequently in the 
lower portion of the 3 foot section there may be thin layers of 
tine sand. A lighter color may also mark the heavy clay at 
this depth. The soil as a whole is quite uniform. The amount 
of stoniness is variable however. Some areas being entirelv 
stone free, while some have quite a number of bowlders upon 
the surface. 

The surface of this soil is gently rolling to rolling and the sur¬ 
face drainage is usually good. Along some of the lower slopes 
where the type adjoins lower lands there are small areas de¬ 
ficient in drainage. 

The original timber was the same as on the loam and fine 
sandy loam types of this series. Most of the merchantable tim¬ 
ber has been removed and the land placed under cultivation. 
Most of the land is well improved, and it is an excellent soil. 
It is easier to work than a clay loam but sufficiently heavy to 
retain moisture well and also the fertilizing material which may 
be applied to it. The same crops are grown as on the loam soil, 
the same methods are followed, and the same line of improve¬ 
ment will apply. 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM, 
SUPERIOR SILT LOAM AND SUPERIOR SILT LOAM, ROLLING PHASE 


The chemical analyses of the Superior silt loam and clay loam 
soils show that their phosphorous content is somewhat lower 
than the average of other silt loams and clay loams in the State, 
while the potassium content is considerably larger. Their con- 


26 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


tent of organic matter is somewhat below the average of soils 
of this texture. In regard to lime they vary within very wide 
limits, in some sections being acid, while in others they contain 
as high as 10 to 12 per cent of lime carbonate. 

Phosphorus .—The comparatively small total amount of phos¬ 
phorus contained in these soils together with the relatively large 
amount of iron oxide renders this element somewhat unavail¬ 
able to growing crops and makes it important that farmers oper¬ 
ating on this type of soil see to it that the available supplies of 
this element are maintained or increased either through the use 
of feeding stuffs high in this element or the purchase of suffi¬ 
cient phosphate fertilizers. Experiments on this soil at Ash¬ 
land showed a large increase through the use of phosphate fer¬ 
tilizers in addition to manure. The following table gives the 
results of some of these experiments. 


EHj Crop 

10 tons manure only 

10 tons manure and 
1000 lbs. rock 
phosphate 

Per cent of increase 

Potatoes. 

87 

bu. per A 

128 lEbu. 

47 

Rutabagas. 

108 

bu. per A 

137 

bu. 

27 

Corn. 

30.4 

bu. per A 

36.8 

bu. 

21 

Clover hay. 

2223 

pounds 

3177 

pounds 

43 

Clover seed. 

217.5 

pounds 

336.7 

pounds 

47 


The importance of having sufficient supplies of this element 
is made still greater by the relatively poor drainage which the 
Superior clay loam has and its consequent tendency to be cold 
so that crops are slow in maturing. The element phosphorus is 
particularly helpful in hastening the maturity of crops and the 
formation of seed. 

Potassium .—These soils average over 50,000 pounds of this ele¬ 
ment per acre to a depth of 8 inches. This potassium, however, 
in the form in which it exists in the soil is not available to crops 
and becomes so only as a result of chemical changes which are 
chiefly brought about through the action of organic matter. 
\\ hen a good supply of active organic matter is maintained the 
quantity of potassium is sufficient to supply growing crops al¬ 
most indefinitely and it is only in the case of fields low in or¬ 
ganic matter or where crops using unusually large amounts of 




















Wis. Geol. and Natural Hist. Survey. 


Plate II. 



AN IMPLEMENT FOR LIFTING AND REMOVING LARGE BOULDERS. 

While these stones are undesirable, and interfere with the cultivation 
of the land, it is usually true that where they occur the soil itself is of 
good quality. 










u xjjSHL 


SHOWING SURFACE FEATURES TYPICAL OF THE SUPERIOR 

SERIES OF SOILS. 

This Superior soil has a high agricultural value. 





GROUP OF HARVEY SOILS. 


27 


available potassium are grown that fertilizers containing this 
element need be used. 

Nitrogen and organic matter .—Nitrogen exists in the soil al¬ 
most entirely in combination with organic or vegetable matter. 
In this soil the vegetable matter is relatively low and should be 
increased. The accumulation of organic matter high in nitro¬ 
gen is most readily brought about through the growth of legumes 
such as clover, alfalfa, or soy beans. These may either be 
turned under as green manuring crops in which case all of the 
nitrogen collected from the atmosphere is returned to the soil 
and made available to succeeding crops, or they may be fed to 
animals and the manure returned to the soil so that a portion at 
least of the nitrogen gathered from the atmosphere is returned 
to the land to add to the supply already there. Whatever sys¬ 
tem of farming is followed on this type of soil should involve a 
rotation one member of which is a legume. 

Lime and soil acidity .—This soil was originally laid down in 
an extension of Lake Superior as a sediment and in this a con¬ 
siderable amount of lime carbonate was deposited. This water- 
deposited soil was then worked over by the ice during the gla¬ 
cial period. Since this time the lime has been dissolved out of 
portions of the soil to a considerable extent, but other parts, less 
pervious to the water or containing large amounts of lime, still 
retain considerable quantities of this material. As a result these 
soils have become acid in patches, but as a whole are not acid 
and the subsoil still generally contains considerable lime. This 
is particularly favorable to the growth of clover and alfalfa, 
but where sorrel or other plants show the development of acidity 
lime should be used especially for alfalfa. 

Drainage .—Where the surface of these soils is level, as is very 
frequently the case the question of drainage is one of impor¬ 
tance. Over practically all level areas tile drains could be in¬ 
stalled to advantage. Thorough drainage will make these soils 
warm up earlier in the spring, insure better tilth and increased 
yields. 


28 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


CHAPTER III. 

GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS 

KENNAN LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—The Kennan loam is one of the ex¬ 
tensive and important soils in the area. It is confined chiefly 
to the west half of the county, and the most extensive areas oc¬ 
cur in the northwestern quarter of the area. Throughout the 
region north of Iola, Northland and Big Falls, and north to 
the county line, the loam is the predominating soil. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to a depth of from 
10 to 12 inches consists of a brown, or grayish-brown, or buff 
colored loam or somewhat gritty silt loam. Tnis is underlain 
by a brown compact gravelly sandy loam or sandy clay which 
gradually changes at from 24 to 30 inches or below into ma¬ 
terial of a much more sandy and gravelly nature. The gravelly 
material is frequently so plentiful in the subsoil that boring is 
impossible in the lower depths. Typically there are a moderate 
number of stones and bowlders on the surface and through the 
soil, but these are not so numerous as to interfere seriously with 
cultivation. There are marked exceptions to this rule, however, 
and in some cases the number of stones and bowlders is so great 
as to interfere seriously with cultural operations. In such cases 
their presence has been indicated on the map by appropriate 
symbols. From many fields the stones have been removed and 
some stone fences are seen in various parts of the area. In 
places there is a small amount of gravel on the surface and in 
the upper subsoil, but such material is most abundant in the 
lower subsoil. The texture of the Kennan loam is somewhat 
variable and frequently approaches a fine sandy loam. In fact 
some areas of fine sandy loam have been included where they 
were of limited extent and where the change of one type to an¬ 
other was very gradual. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the Kennan loam 
varies from undulating to rolling and somewhat hilly. Al- 


GROUP OF LOAM, S' AND FIND SANDY LOAMS. 


29 


though this type occurs on some of the largest and highest ele¬ 
vations there are comparatively few steep or abrupt slopes, and 
by far the greater proportion of the type has such a topography 
as to permit the use of modern farm machinery. Where ex¬ 
tremely steep slopes have been found, or where the surface was 
of a very rough or broken character, a rough phase has been in¬ 
dicated on the soil map. These areas are frequently very stony 
as well as rough. The soil within the rough phase is also sub¬ 
ject to greater variation than typical, ranging from a fine 
sandy loam to a silt loam. Over the roughest areas some 
portions have been quite badly eroded. Because of the uneven 
surface features of the type as a whole, and the character of 
the subsoil, the natural drainage is excellent. The type con¬ 
tains a sufficient amount of fine material so that it retains mois¬ 
ture well and does not suffer from drought except during ex¬ 
tended dry periods. 

Origin .—-The material forming the Kennan loam has been de¬ 
rived through glacial action largely from crystalline rock forma¬ 
tions. This material in a number of cases has been carried by 
an ice sheet over regions where Potsdam sandstone is the un¬ 
derlying rock, so that the resulting soil consists of a mixture of 
materials from these two sources. However, the granitic rock 
material predominates in this soil in practically all cases. There 
is no limestone material present in the portion of the area where 
this type occurs and both soil and subsoil show varying degrees 
of acidity. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber growth on this soil 
consisted of maple, birch and oak, with varying amounts of hem¬ 
lock, white and Norway pine. A considerable part of the type 
as found in the extreme northwestern part of the county is still 
in timber. Where the original timber lias been removed there 
is usually a second growth in which poplar, white birch and hazel 
brush are plentiful. 

Present agricultural development *—Probably from one-third 
to one-half of this type has been cleared and placed under the 
plow. Where not extremely stony, it is one of the most desir¬ 
able soils in the west part of the county, and one which has very 
good agricultural value. It is devoted chiefly to dairying and 
general farming, with potatoes as an important cash crop. The 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page nr;. 



30 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


type affords excellent grazing, and where the stones are most 
plentiful the land can be used to best advantage for this pur¬ 
pose. Sheep are raised to some extent, although it would seem 
that this industry could he materially extended. Corn is raised 
principally for silage, but when it matures the yield usually 
ranges from 40 to 60 bushels per acre. Oats yields range from 
35 to 60 bushels per acre with some yields reported much higher 
than this. Barley usually yields from 25 to 35 bushels, and rye 
from 15 to 20 bushels. The hay, which consists chiefly of clover 
and timothy, yields from V /2 to 3 tons per acre. Alfalfa is 
grown to a limited extent, although special treatment of the soil 
is usually necessary in getting this crop started. Potatoes yield 
from 100 to 200 bushels per acre and are the most important 
cash crop grown on the type. Wheat is grown only to a lim¬ 
ited extent but gives very satisfactory yields on this soil. Prob¬ 
ably the most common rotation followed by farmers on this soil 
consists’ of small grain, seeded to clover and timothy,—hay be¬ 
ing cut for two years, after which the land is plowed for corn 
or potatoes and then again followed by small grain. Stable ma¬ 
nure is the only fertilizer used to any extent though a small 
amount of green manuring is practiced. 

KENNAN FINE SANDY LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—The Kennan fine sandy loam is an 
important type though not fully improved. It is confined al¬ 
most entirely to the western half of the county, and chiefly to 
the northwestern quarter of the area where it occurs in tracts 
of from 10 or 20 acres to several square miles. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to an average 
depth of 8 inches is brown or slightly grayish-brown, mellow, 
fine sandy loam. This material becomes somewhat lighter in 
color with depth and becomes a yellowish-brown at a depth of 
from 10 to 18 inches. In texture the subsoil is usually a fine 
sandy loam containing considerable clay which in places be¬ 
comes a sandy clay loam. The heaviest portion of the subsoil 
usually occurs at a depth of from. 18 to 24 inches. This may 
sometimes extend to a depth of 30 inches, but in the lower depths 
the material usually becomes somewhat more sandy. In some 
areas the subsoil through its entire section was found to be 
somewhat sandy, but was not sufficiently light to be classed un¬ 
der another type name. 


GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


31 


A lighter phase of this soil was found to occur 4 or 5 miles 
south of Big Falls where tho material approaches a loamy fine 
sand in texture. The extent here, however, was too limited to 
justify a separation. The type as a whole is somewhat stony, 
though as typically developed these stones are not sufficiently 
plentiful to interfere materially with agricultural development. 
Where the stones are most plentiful, and where they do inter¬ 
fere with the cultural operations to any marked degree, their 
presence has been indicatd on the soil map by appropriate sym¬ 
bols. 

Topography omd drainage. —The surface of this soil is undu¬ 
lating to rolling with a few locations which could be classed as 
hilly. Modern farm machinery can be used on practically all 

of the type, and because of the surface features and the sandy 

♦ 

nature of the soil the natural drainage is good. There is a suf¬ 
ficient amount of clay in the subsoil so that moisture is retained 
in a very satisfactory manner, and the type does not suffer from 
drought except during periods of extended dry weather. 

Origin. —The material forming the Kennan fine sandy loam 
has been derived through glacial action chiefly from crystalline 
rocks though the underlying rock over a portion of the area 
where this type occurs is Potsdam sandstone. Material from 
both of these formations is found in this soil, but the crystalline 
material appears to predominate. There is no limestone ma¬ 
terial in this region and both soil and subsoil are found to be 
in an acid condition. 

Native vegetation. —The original timber growth consisted 
chiefly of hardwoods, including maple, oak, birch and some elm. 
Varying amounts of hemlock, white and Norway pine were 
found with the original timber growth. Where the land has 
been cut-over and not put in farms the present growth consists 
largely of poplar, white birch and hazel brush. 

Present agricultural development* —This is one of the most 
desirable soils of the area, although because of its irregular oc¬ 
currence but few farms are made up entirely of it. A consid¬ 
erable proportion of this soil is under cultivation and in im¬ 
proved farms. The yields which are secured and the methods 
of farming followed are very similar to those of the Kennan 
loam. In fact, the type as a whole is very closely related to 


* See page 33 for chemical composition and improvement. 



32 SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 

this soil, and tlic boundary line separating them is frequently 
an arbitrary one. 


ANTIGO LOAM 

This soil is of limited extent. It is found chiefly in the north¬ 
west quarter of the county northeast and west of Scandinavia, 
north and northwest of Iola, and north of Northland. 

The surface soil of this type to an average depth of 10-12 
inches consists of a brown or grayish brown loam, or light silt 
loam of a friable structure. This is underlain by a lighter col¬ 
ored compact loam or silt loam which below 14-16 inches be¬ 
comes quite gritty, and at about 24 inches grades abruptly into 
gravel or sand, or a mixture of these materials. As in the silt 
loam, the depth to the underlying coarse material is variable. 
Frequently some gravel may occur upon the surface and through 
the soil section. A few granitic bowlders, probably deposited 
by floating ice, are also found in places, though they are not 
numerous. 

The surface of this type is level or very nearly so, and the 
natural drainage is good. There are only a few small sags or 
potholes where the drainage is deficient. 

This soil has the same origin as the silt loam and consists 
largely of alluvial materials deposited by glacial waters as out- 
wash plains or as stream terraces. The parent material was 
chieflv crystalline rocks. No calcareous material has entered 
into the formation of the soil, and varying degrees of acidity 
prevail. 

The original timber growth consisted chiefly of maple, birch, 
hemlock with some white and Norway pine. 

Although of limited extent, this is very valuable farming 
land, and is highly improved. It is used for general farming 
purposes, and is well adapted to all general farm crops com¬ 
mon to the region.* 

ANTIGO FINE SANDY LOAM 

This soil is of limited extent. One tract of about one square 
mile occurs 2-3 miles north of Waupaca. Another is found 
northeast of Big Falls along the Shawano county line. A num¬ 
ber of other smaller patches are widely scattered throughout the 
county. 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 33. 



GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 33 

The surface of this soil to an average depth of 8 inches con¬ 
sists of a grayish brown fine sandy loam which becomes lighter 
in color with depth. At 14-16 inches a yellowish-brown color 
may obtain and a small percentage of clay is present. In places 
there is a gravel deposit at about 30 inches and a moderate 
amount of gravel may be distributed through the soil section. 
The areas found in the eastern half of the county are usually 
free from gravel but are underlain by fine sand instead. 

The surface of this type is level, or only very slightly undu¬ 
lating and the natural drainage is good. 

This soil consists of alluvial material deposited as outwash or 
valley fill. The parent material was largely crystalline rocks, 
but in the central and eastern parts of the county, the glacial 
debris contains considerable sandstone material and some of this 
has also entered into the formation of the Antigo fine sandy 
loam. No calcareous rocks have contributed to this soil, how¬ 
ever, and both soil and subsoil are in an acid condition. 

The original timber consisted of maple, birch, hemlock, and 
some pine. 

Most of the soil is cleared and is under cultivation, but be¬ 
cause of its being found only in small tracts, but few farms are 
made up entirely of this class of land. It is mostly well im¬ 
proved and gives good yields of all the general farm crops com¬ 
mon to the region. It is excellent potato land and would also 
make fine soil for truck crops, but its location regarding mar¬ 
kets is not such as to encourage the extensive development of 
this line of farming. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY 

LOAMS 

These soils are only a little more open in texture than the silt 
and clay loam types. They have a good water-holding capacity 
and will support very good pasture, but the somewhat higher 
percentage of fine sand which they contain reduces the water 
content of the surface somewhat so that they warm up more 
readily in the spring and have less tendency to bake and crack 
than the heavier soils. These qualities make them better 
adapted to such crops as corn and potatoes than are the heavier 
soils. 

The total amount of the plant food elements, phosphorus and 
potassium, is nearly if not quite as large in the Kennan and 


3—w. a 


34 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Antigo fine sandy loams as in the silt loam. # However, they 
have rather less organic matter and this, together with the 
somewhat coarser texture results in a slower rate of chemical 
change by which the inert plant food of the soil becomes avail¬ 
able to crops. For this reason the increase in the supply of 
fresh organic matter and the use of available plant food either 
in the form of stable manure or of commercial fertilizers be¬ 
comes more important and especially when crops such as po¬ 
tatoes which are sold from the farm, and of which heavy yields 
must be grown to be profitable, are produced. 

The increase in the supply of organic -matter is of the utmost 
importance. A high degree of fertility cannot be maintained 
in these soils unless about twice as large an amount of organic 
matter is developed in them as that which they originally have. 
The plowing under of legumes, such as a second crop of clover 
or a crop of soybeans, is the best method of securing this re¬ 
sult. The application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers 
can best be made for these crops, since it secures a much larger 
growth of these crops themselves and becomes available through 
their decomposition to the following crops of corn or potatoes. 

The Kennan and Antigo soils were derived from rocks devoid 
of lime carbonates and therefore have a marked tendency to be¬ 
come acid. The degree of acidity is usually only slight in the 
new soil, but increases as the land is cropped from year to year. * 
This acidity does not affect the growth of most crops directly, 
but makes it more difficult to maintain a good degree of fertil¬ 
ity. This is true because it is in a condition unfavorable to 
the continued growth of the best legumes—clover and alfalfa. 
The slight degree of acidity does not interfere with the growth 
of clover while the soil is comparatively new, but does reduce 
the yields as the fertility is reduced by further cropping and 
even in the virgin condition acidity interferes with the growth 
of alfalfa. It is also a condition unfavorable to the mainte¬ 
nance of a good supply of readily available phosphorus in the 
soil. These objections are probably not sufficient to make nec¬ 
essary the use of lime to correct the acidity on all of the land 
under cultivation, for a number of years, but does make it de¬ 
sirable that farmers wishing to grow alfalfa should lime as well 
as inoculate the soil for this crop and also to watch the growth 
of clover carefully from year to year, so as to begin the use of 


* See page 20. 



GROUP OF LOAMS AND FIXE SANDY LOAMS. 


35 


lime on the fields as they are sown to clover as soon as it becomes 
difficult to secure a good stand. 

These types of soils are well adapted to general farming and 
some special crops such as potatoes can also be grown to good 
advantage. These soils of intermediate texture are better 
adapted to potato culture than are the heavier types on the one 
hand or the light sandy soils on the other. 

SUPERIOR LOAM 

This soil is of limited extent and is confined to the eastern 
half of the county. Some of the type is found in the vicinity 
of Nicholson and other small tracts near Symco and New Lon¬ 
don. 

The surface soil of this type to an average depth of 8 or 9 
inches consists of a grayish-brown mellow loam which contains 
an appreciable amount of fine and very fine sand. This is un¬ 
derlain by a compact pinkish-red clay or clay loam which con¬ 
tinues to a depth greater than 3 feet. Usually the color be¬ 
comes deeper red, and the structure somewhat more plastic with 
depth. In places there is a small amount of gravel on the sur¬ 
face' and mixed with the soil, but as a whole the type is quite 
uniform. The surface is level to undulating and the natural 
drainage is in most cases fair to good. Only in the lowest 
places is it deficient. It is better than on the clay loam and 
silt loam types. 

The loam has the same origin as the clay loam and silt loam 
types, having been deposited in quiet waters and later modified 
to a limited extent by glacial action. 

The original timber growth consisted chiefly of oaks, hickory, 
and some elm. 

Most of this type is cleared, under cultivation, and in a high 
stage of development. It is an excellent soil, well suited to the 
general farm crops commonly grown in the region. Small 
grains, corn and bay are the chief crops. Potatoes are also 
grown, but usually only for home use. It is easier to cultivate 
than the clay loam, and altogether is a somewhat more desir¬ 
able soil. Stable manure is practically the only fertilizer used 
at present, though commercial fertilizers are being considered, 
and experience has shown that properly used they are profi- 


36 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 




table. The soil responds especially well to a phosphate fertil¬ 
izer.* 


SUPERIOR LOAM, ROLLING PHASE 

Extent and distribution .—The Superior loam rolling phase is 
generally associated with other soils of this series. It is con¬ 
fined to the eastern half of the county where it is an important 
soil. It is most extensive in the southeastern quarter of the 
county and there are also numerous areas southwest of Marion 
and east of Symco. 

Description .—The surface of this phase to an average depth 
of 8 to 10 inches consists of a dark brown or grayish brown 
loam which is usually somewhat gritty. This material usually 
becomes somewhat lighter in color and more compact in the 
lower surface section and remains quite loamy to a depth of 14 
to 16 inches. While these depths represent the average, there 
is some variation in this respect and the loamy material in 
places extends to nearly two feet. The change to the subsoil 
is usually quite abrupt and the heavy pinkish-red clay is gen¬ 
erally found at 14 to 16 inches below the surface. This heavy, 
compact red clay extends to a depth of more than 3 feet, often 
times many feet—though in the lower portion of the 3 foot sec¬ 
tion it sometimes becomes lighter in color, and may contain a 
few thin layers of sandy material. In numerous places granitic 
stones and bowlders were originally found upon the surface, 
but in many fields these have been entirely removed. Places 
were seen, however, where the bowlders were still present and 
where they were sufficiently numerous to interfere with culti¬ 
vation. Gravel and some small rock fragments are frequently 
present in the soil and subsoil. The gravel and stones are most 
plentiful along the most westerly occurrences of the type, where 
it borders the soils of the Kennan series. In many places ex¬ 
tensive areas are almost entirely stone free. As a whole the 
material forming this soil is quite uniform, the chief variation 
being in the stoniness. There is an exception to this, however, 
in Sec. 13 and 14 Town of Caledonia where the subsoil is not 
red, but of a yellowish-brown color. Here the material also 
rests upon limestone rock which occurs within the three foot 
section in places. This phase is really Miami loam, but be¬ 
cause of its limited extent it was included with the Superior. 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 43. 




GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 3 J 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the loam soil 
ranges from gently rolling to rolling, with a few areas which 
could be classed only as undulating. Because of the usual sur¬ 
face features the natural surface drainage is generally well estab¬ 
lished. In some of the lower places it sags, and the draws be¬ 
tween hills the drainage is sometimes deficient, but such areas 
are usually of small extent. Where the type borders the level 
phase of Superior soils or those of the Poygan or Whitman 
series there is frequently a narrow strip which would be im¬ 
proved by tile drains. There is seldom danger of serious ero¬ 
sion but on unprotected fields the surface soil washes to some 
extent during heavy rains. 

Origin. —The subsoil of the Superior loam has the same origin 
as the Superior clay, having been laid down as a lacustrine de¬ 
posit and later influenced by glacial action. The surface soil 
may fie in part of the same origin, but a considerable propor¬ 
tion of the surface soil doubtless came from crystalline rock ma¬ 
terial. Some of it, and especially the more sandy phases, prob¬ 
ably came from sandstone rock. In a few places the surface 
soil shows slight acidity, but the subsoil is not acid and usually 
contains a considerable amount of lime carbonate. 

Native vegetation. —The native timber growth on this soil 
consisted chiefly of maple, oak, ash, hickory, walnut, and some 
pine. While by far the greater proportion of the merchant¬ 
able timber has been removed there are still many farm wood 
lots containing the original timber. 

Present agricultural development* —A large proportion of 
the type is cleared and under cultivation and it is one of the 
best soils for general agriculture within the county. All of the 
crops common to the region are grown successfully upon it but 
the chief type of farming is general farming with dairying as 
the chief branch. Small grains, corn and hay are grown most 
extensively. While most of the hay is clover and timothy, al¬ 
falfa is coming to be an important crop and is being grown 
with success on many farms. Potatoes are grown for home use 
on all farms and on a number commercially. The most com¬ 
mon crop rotation consists of small grain, hay, corn, to which 
may be added a year of pasture after one or two years of hay, 
making a four or five year rotation. Stable manure is the chief 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 43. 



SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


38 

fertilizer used though commercial fertilizers are now being tried 
by some farmers with marked success. 

SUPERIOR FINE SANDY LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—This soil is found in scattered areas 
in the eastern half of the county associated with other types of 
the Superior series. Of the larger developments may be men¬ 
tioned the one north from Bear Creek, and those between Clin- 
tonville and Embarrass. The total extent of the type is com¬ 
paratively small. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to a depth of 10 
inches consists of a grayish brown fine to very fine sandy loam, 
containing a moderate amount of organic matter. In low places 
the surface is darker than typical owing to a greater accumula¬ 
tion of vegetable matter. The subsoil consists of a pinkish-red 
clay loam which may extend without change to over 3 feet, 
though frequently fine sand is encountered at about 30 inches. 
In the lower depths the color is also lighter. The depth of the 
surface soil over the clay is variable and may range from 6 
inches to 16 or 18 inches. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the Superior fine 
sandy loam is level to undulating and except in the lowest 
places the natural drainage is fair to good. In the depressions 
or level tracts it is sometimes deficient. 

Origin .—The subsoil of this type has the same origin as the 
remainder of the Superior types, but the surface has doubtless 
been influenced to a greater extent by glacial action than has 
the heavy clay subsoil. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber consisted chiefly of 
maple, elm, oaks, birch and some poplar, with now and then a 
white pine. 

Present agricultural development .*■—The greater part of this 
type lias been brought under cultivation. The lowest and more 
poorly drained portions are devoted chiefly to hay and pasture, 
but on the remainder of the type good yields of the general 
farm crops are secured. The soil is not difficult to cultivate 
and a good mellow seed bed can be readily secured. Corn, 
small grain, hay and potatoes are the most important crops. 
This type is much better adapted to potato growing than the 


GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


39 


heavier soils of this series. Alfalfa is grown in some localities 
with good success. 

SUPERIOR FINE SANDY LOAM, ROLLING PHASE 

Extent and distribution. —This soil is confined almost entirely 
to the eastern half of the county where it occurs in numerous 
tracts of from less than one mile to 3 to 5 square miles in ex¬ 
tent. Its continuity is broken by other soils of this series and 
also by tracts of peat and soils of the Antigo series. 

Description .—The surface soil of this phase to a depth of 
about 10 inches consists of a grayish-brown fine sandy loam. 
In a few places the material approaches a fine sand in texture. 
The lower portion of the soil section becomes somewhat lighter 
in color, due to the smaller amount of organic matter present. 
The subsoil usually begins quite abruptly and consists of a pink¬ 
ish-red compact clay or clay loam. This usually extends to a 
depth much greater than 3 feet, though in the lower portion of 
-the 3 foot section it is quite common to find thin layers of fine 
sand. The color of the clay is often lighter at this depth. A 
small amount of gravel sometimes occurs upon the surface and 
small rock fragments may be found through the soil section. 
Granitic bowlders are also quite plentiful upon the surface, and 
in places are sufficiently numerous to interfere with cultural 
operations. In many fields these have been removed and placed 
in piles along the fence rows. Much of the type is practically 
stone free. The depth to clay is variable but seldom exceeds 
two feet. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this soil ranges 
from gently sloping to gently rolling and in some cases rolling. 
Because of the uneven surface features the natural drainage is 
well established. In no place is the type too broken to permit 
the growth of cultivated crops. Erosion is not a serious prob¬ 
lem, though on the. more rolling areas there is some danger of 
washing when the fields are bare, especially during the heavy 
rains of spring, when the ground is saturated with water. 

Origin .—In origin the subsoil has the same source as other 
Superior soils, having been first laid down as a lacustrine de¬ 
posit probably during interglacial times and later influenced to 
a greater or less extent by glacial action. The surface sandy 

* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 43. 



40 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


material probably comes largely from crystalline and sandstone 
glacial debris. Most of the gravel, stones and bowlders associ¬ 
ated with this soil are largely of crystalline rock origin. The 
surface soil is frequently slightly acid, but the red clay subsoil 
is not acid and usually contains considerable carbonate of lime. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber growth on the soil 
consisted of maple, oak, elm, hickory, some walnut and varying 
amounts of pine. Most of the merchantable timber has been 
removed, though there are numerous farm wood lots in which 
there is still valuable timber. No extensive tracts of native for¬ 
est, however, are found on this soil at present. 

Present agricultural development .*—By far the greater pro¬ 
portion of this soil is cleared, under cultivation, and highly im¬ 
proved. It is devoted chiefly to general farming and dairying, 
and practically all of the crops common to the region are grown 
upon it. It is an excellent general farming soil, and some of 
the most highly improved farms of the region are found upon 
it. The surface soil is sufficiently sandy to make cultivation 
easy, while the subsoil is heavy so that moisture, and fertility 
is retained. The surface is uneven enough to insure good drain¬ 
age, but never too steep to permit the use of modern farm ma- 
chinry. It occurs in good sized tracts so that many farms are 
located entirely upon this one soil type. The crops grown are 
corn, oats, barley, rye, wheat, clover, timothy, alfalfa, potatoes, 
and other root crops. In addition some truck crops are also 
grown, but the trucking industry has not been developed on a 
commercial scale in any part of the county, although this soil is 
well suited to the growing of trucking crops. 

The general methods of farming followed are usually such as 
tend to gradually improve the soil, but there is still consider¬ 
able room for improvement along these lines. The rotation 
most commonly followed consists of corn, small grain, and hay. 
The field usually being left in hay for two years, and possibly 
pastured for a year in addition, making a four or five year ro¬ 
tation. Stable manure is the chief fertilizer used, though a 
number of farmers have started the use of commercial fertili¬ 
zers with very good results. The supply of stable manure is 
seldom sufficient to meet the needs of the soil, and the use of 
commercial fertilizers to supplement this supply is advisable. 


* See page 43 for chemical composition and improvement. 



GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


41 


SUPERIOR SANDY LOAM 

This soil is of rather limited extent, covering a total area of 
of about 4 square miles. It is confined chiefly to the southeast¬ 
ern portion of the area south and southeast from Fremont. 
Some of this soil is also found north of Weyauwega, and a few 
scattered areas occur farther north in the interior of the county. 
The type is usually associated with areas of Superior clay loam. 

The surface soil of this type to a depth of 10 to 12 inches con¬ 
sists of a brown or grayish brown loamy sand to light sandy 
loam. Below this there is usually a few inches of light brown 
or yellowish loamy sand which is underlain at about 18 inches 
by a dense, compact pinkish red clay, which extends to 36 inches 
or more. In some places there is a substratum of yellowish 
sand, usually water saturated, at about 30 inches. The depth 
of the sandy material over the clay subsoil is quite variable but 
the heavy subsoil is always found at 2 feet or less. 

The surface is level or gently undulating, and except for a 
few sags the drainage is fair to good. 

The original timber consisted of oaks, maple, birch, some elm 
and in the wettest places a few willows. Some pine also grew 
on this soil. 

This is a valuable soil for general farming, and most of the 
crops common to the region are successfully grown upon it. 
Where drainage is thorough it is a first class potato soil. It is 
easy to cultivate, and retains moisture well. Where shipping 
facilities are convenient this soil could well be utilized for more 
intensive farming operations, since its light surface texture 
places it in the class of trucking soils. 

SUPERIOR SANDY LOAM, ROLLING PHASE 

Extent and distribution .-^This soil is of limited extent and is 
confined chiefly to the southern and southeastern portions of 
the county where it is associated with other types of the Su¬ 
perior series. It is frequently found adjacent to Antigo soils. 
Of the more important tracts may be mentioned that just south 
of Weyauwega and that in the vicinity of Readfield. A few 
smaller tracts are found in the interior of the county. 


42 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Description .—'The surface soil of this phase to an average 
depth of 10 inches consists of a rather loose, brown sandy loam, 
which in places becomes as light as a loamy sand. This is usu¬ 
ally underlain by a lighter colored sand or loamy sand for sev¬ 
eral inches and this in turn grades quite abruptly into the 
heavy red or pinkish red clay characteristic of the Supeiioi 
series. A small amount of gravel may be found on the surface 
and in some localities granitic bowlders occur, though seldom in 
sufficient numbers to interfere with farming operations. The 
depth of sandy material over the clay is somewhat variable, but 
is seldom over 2 feet deep. The amount of organic matter in 
the surface soil is rather low, except in some of the lower places 
where a more moist condition has favored the development of 
more natural vegetation. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface soil varies from gen¬ 
tly rolling to rolling, and in a few places it is rather hilly. Be¬ 
cause of the eneven surface the natural drainage is good. 

Origin .—The subsoil of this type is lacustrine in origin and 
since its finest deposition has been influenced by glacial action. 
The surface material is doubtless largely of glacial origin in part 
from sandstone rocks and in part from crystalline rocks. The 
surface soil is usually slightly acid, but the subsoil is not acid 
and usually contains considerable lime carbonate. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber consisted chiefly of ' 
oaks, maple, hickory with some pine in places. 

Present agricultural development *—Approximately half of 
the type is being cultivated at present, the remainder being in 
second growth timber or in pasture. This is a good soil and 
while devoted chiefly to general farming it is doubtless better 
adapted to trucking crops and a more intensive system of farm¬ 
ing. All crops common to the region are grown, and corn, for 
example usually does better than on the heavier types because 
it gets an earlier start in the spring. The soil is easy to culti¬ 
vate and responds readily to soil improvements. While stable 
manure is about the only fertilizer now used, commercial fertil¬ 
izers can be used with profit, and farmers should look into the 
merits of such fertilizers. 


* See page 43 for chemical composition and improvement. 




GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


43 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF SUPERIOR LOAM, 
FINE SANDY LOAM, AND SANDY LOAM 

These soils are more open in texture than the group of heavy 
soils. They have a water holding capacity which is sufficient 
to insure good pasture, where the land is in grasses. Because 
of the more rolling surface, and the higher content of fine sand 
in the surface soil, the natural drainage is better than on the 
heavy level lands and the soil thus warms uj) earlier in the spring 
and does not have the tendency to hake and crack which is char¬ 
acteristic of some of the heavier soils. These qualities make 
these types better adapted to such crops as corn and potatoes, 
and also to the growing of fruit. 

The total amount of the plant food elements phosphorus and 
potassium is nearly but not quite as large in the loams and fine 
sandy loams, as in the group of heavy soils previously described. 
The amount of organic matter is somewhat smaller, as is also 
the supply of nitrogen. Because of this and the coarser texture 
the rate of chemical change may not always be as rapid as in 
the heavier soils. For this reason the increase in the supply of 
active or fresh organic matter and the use of available plant food 
either in the form of stable manure or commercial fertilizer be¬ 
comes more important, especially when crops are grown which 
are sold from the farm. 

An increase of the supply of organic matter in these soils is 
of great importance. It is desirable to have nearly twice as 
much organic matter in the soil as these types now contain. The 
plowing under of legumes, such as the second crop of clover, or 
a crop of f>oy beans is a good way of securing this result. The 
supply of stable maure is usually too limited to meet the needs 
of the entire farm. 

As in the group of heavy soils in this county, and as is quite 
common in most of the state the phosphorus content of these soils 
is below normal, and should be increased. Even the use of 
stable manure will not itself supply the amount of phosphorus 
needed, and it is a good plan to supplement the use of stable ma¬ 
nure with a phosphate fertilizer. Acid phosphate is the most 
quickly available and under present • conditions is doubtless the 
most profitable form to use. This may be applied with small 
grain which is seeded to clover and about 250 to 300 pounds per 
acre should be used. When used with corn it may be drilled in 


44 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


the row with a fertilizer attachment to a corn planter or drilled 
in with a regular lime and fertilizer sower just before the corn 
is planted. 

Where general farming is followed and it is desired to build 
up the organic matter supply the following rotation is a good 
one to use:—Corn or a cultivated crop one year, followed by 
a small grain with which clover is seeded, the first crop the fol¬ 
lowing year cut for hay, and the second plowed down as a green 
manuring crop to be again used for a cultivated crop. When 
commercial fertilizer is used it may be applied with the small 
grain or to the corn crop. Where a second crop of clover is 
not turned down it should be fed and the manure returned to 
the field in as liberal amounts as can be secured. 

The growing of alfalfa should be greatly extended on these 
soils and every farmer should consider the question of starting 
a small acreage. 


GROUP OF SANDY LOAMS AND FINE SANDS. 


45 


CHAPTER IV. 

GROUP OP SANDY LOAMS AND PINE SANDS 

PLAINFIELD FINE SAND 

Tlie type is of limited extent and is confined chiefly to the 
eastern half of the county where it is often associated with Co- 
loma fine sand. 

The surface soil of this type to a depth of 6 to 8 inches con¬ 
sists of a brown or yellowish brown fine sand underlain by a 
yellow fine sand to a depth of over 3 feet. Quite a few gravel 
stones are sometimes found. The type is usually free from 
gravel as well as stones. Some deep well borings show red clay 
and it is possible that most of the type may be underlain by 
such material. 

The surface is level or very gently undulating and where the 
watertable is not close to the surface, the natural drainage is 
excessive. 

The Plainfield fine sand is of alluvial origin and has been de¬ 
posited as outwash plains or valley fill. A large proportion of it 
came from glaciated sandstone material though there is some 
crystalline material also mixed in. 

The native timber growth consisted chiefly of oak and white 
pine with some poplar. 

A large proportion of this type is being cultivated, but be¬ 
cause of its limited extent and low agricultural value, it can be 
classed with the soils of minor importance. 

General farm crops are grown and cucumbers and buckwheat 
are also raised to some extent. Dairying is the leading indus¬ 
try. • 1 ' ! 

As with the other Plainfield sandy types, the soil is deficient 
in organic matter and mineral plant foods. These must be sup¬ 
plied if marked increased yields are to be secured.* 


* See page 50 for chemical composition. 



46 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 




PLAINFIELD SANDY LOAM 

The largest continuous area of this type of several square 
miles is found west of Waupaca. Other smaller tracts occur in 
various parts of the county, though chiefly in the western half 
associated with the soils of the Kennan series. The small 
patches which occur in the eastern part of the county contain 
less gravel than the western areas. 

The surface of this type to an average depth of 8 to 10 inches 
consists of a brown or slightly dark brown sandy loam of me¬ 
dium texture. This is underlain by a yellowish brown sandy 
loam or a yellowish loamy sand which at from 18 to 24 inches 
contains a sufficient amount of clay to make the material some¬ 
what sticky when wet. Gravel stones are often sufficiently nu- 
numerous in the subsoil to make boring difficult. Gravel is also 
found in places on the surface, and bordering some of the areas 
bowlders are quite plentiful. 

The surface of this type is level or nearly so, and because of 
the coarse material present, the natural drainage is frequently 
excessive; .though the type is not as subject to drought as is the 
plainfield sand. The small amount of clay in the subsoil greatly 
assists in retaining moisture. 

The Plainfield sandy loam has the same origin as the other 
soils of the Plainfield series, consisting of alluvial material de¬ 
posited as outwash plains and valley fill by glacial waters. The 
parent material was both crystalline rock and sandstone drift 
and the soil is a mixture from these two sources. No calcareous 
material is present and both soil and subsoil are acid. 

The original timber was chiefly oaks and white pine. All 
merchantable timber has been cut. 

Probably about 75% of this soil has been improved. All the 
general farm crops common to the region are grown in connec¬ 
tion with dairying farming. Rye does well on this soil, but 
other small grains do not yield as well as on the heavier types. 
Corn and potatoes yield better than on the sand, and clover can 
be raised with less difficulty. Some alfalfa is being grown, but 
liming is necessary to secure and maintain a good stand.* 


* See page 50 for chemical composition and improvement. 



GROUP OF SANDY LOAMS AND FINE SANDS. 


47 


COLOMA FINE SAND 

Extent and distribution .—While by far the greater portion of 
the material included in this type is fine in texture, there is a 
marked variation to this in some of the areas to the east of Clin- 
tonville. In these areas, the soil and subsoil both consist of 
very fine sand. Because of its extreme fineness and the pres¬ 
ence of organic matter, these areas approach in value the fine 
sandy loam. The chief areas of very fine sand are found in T. 
25 N. R. 15 E. in Section Nos. 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,* 
34, 35, and 36. 

The Coloma fine sand is confined to the eastern part of the 
county. The areas east of White Lake, south of New London, 
and those about 5 miles east of Clint onville are the most exten¬ 
sive. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to an average 
depth of 6 inches consists of a brownish-yellow, loose, fine sand 
which contains only a limited amount of organic matter. The 
surface two or three inches has a somewhat darker color than 
the material immediately below this depth. This is due to the 
larger amount of organic matter near the surface. 

The subsoil consists of a loose yellow fine sand which extends 
to a depth of at least 36 inches, and usually to a much greater 
depth. In a few instances, traces of red clay were found a lit¬ 
tle below three feet. This is the same material which makes up 
the subsoil of the Superior soils. 

Topography and drainage.- —The soil has a gently rolling sur¬ 
face which in a few places becomes nearly hilly. It usually oc¬ 
cupies the most elevated positions and is thus exposed to pre¬ 
vailing winds. Where the surface is not protected the material 
is sometimes blown by the wind into dunes. In a few places 
wind action has rendered this soil unfit for cultivation. Such 
places, however, are of limited area. 

Because of the loose open character of this soil and the sur¬ 
face features, the natural drainage is very, thorough and in 
places somewhat excessive. 

Origin .—This soil has been derived largely from glaciated 
sandstone material. No limestone has entered into its forma¬ 
tion, and both soil and subsoil are in an acid condition. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber growth consisted 
chiefly of scrubby white and black oak, poplar, and pine. 


48 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Present agricultural development* *— Approximately 75% of 
this soil is cleared and used for some agricultural purpose. The 
range of crops grown is more limited than in the heavier soils. 
Corn and potatoes are grown most extensively, but average 
yields are low. Clover and grasses do not do well. Small 
grains are grown, but yields are Ioav. Bye is the most impor¬ 
tant grain. Buckwheat is a crop of minor importance. Cucum¬ 
bers are grown in places and frequently produce very satisfac- 
satisfactory yields. 


VILAS SANDY LOAM 

Extent and distribution. —The Vilas sandy loam is con¬ 
fined chiefly to the northwestern quarter of the county. It oc¬ 
curs mostly in irregular areas seldom greater than one or two 
square miles in extent. Some of the more important tracts are 
found in the vicinity of North Lake and in the stretch of coun¬ 
try between Ogdensburg and Big Falls. 

D escription. —The surface soil of the Vilas sandy loam to an 
average depth of about 12 inches consists of a brown or gray* 
ish-brown sandy loam or a loamy sand of a rather loose and 
open structure. This grades into a light brown or yellowish 
loamy sand which at about 24 inches grades into a gritty sandy 
clay or sometimes into a light clay loam. Quite frequently this 
heavy material is in the form of a layer of from 6 to 10 inches 
in thickness, below which sandy material is again found. In a 
few instances this heavier layer was entirely absent or only a 
few inches in thickness. A small amount of gravel is some¬ 
times found upon the surface and mixed with both soil and sub¬ 
soil. As is the case with the Vilas sand, the sandy loam fre¬ 
quently has upon the surface a number of stones and bowlders. 
Wherever these are found, in sufficient numbers so as to inter¬ 
fere with farming operations to any marked extent they have 
been indicated on the map by means of appropriate symbols. 
Over most of the type they are not sufficiently numerous to de¬ 
tract from the value of the land. 

There is some variation in the type and in a few cases it ap¬ 
proaches a fine sandy loam in texture. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of the Vilas sandy 
loam ranges from gently rolling to rolling and hilly. The type 

y 

* For chemical composition and improvement see page 50. 



GROUP OF SANDY LOAMS AND FINE SANDS. 49 

quite frequently occurs as ridges, some of which are quite pro¬ 
nounced. In some instances the slopes are extremely steep, 
quite frequently eroded and often stony. These extremely rough 
areas have been indicated on the map separately and referred 
to as a rough phase. The soil within the rough areas is usually 
subject to more variation than the typical soil. The topography 
of the typical soil is such that modern farm machinery can be 
used on practically all of the areas. On the rough phase this 
is difficult and it is often impossible to use modern farm ma¬ 
chinery. 

On account of the irregular surface features and the rather 
open character of the subsoil the natural drainage is well estab¬ 
lished and often excessive. 

Origin .—This type of soil has practically the same origin as 
the Vilas sand having been derived through glacial action from 
crystalline rock material mixed with debris from sandstone 
rocks. It is probable that the sandy loam however, contains a 
somewhat larger proportion of material derived from the gran- * 
itic rocks than is the case with the sand type. No limestone ma¬ 
terial has entered into the formation of this type, and both soil 
and subsoil show varying degrees of acidity. 

Native vegetation .—The original timber growth consisted 
largely of oak with some white pine, poplar, birch and a small 
amount of maple and elm in places. At the present time the cut¬ 
over sections which are not cultivated have a second growth of 
poplar, scrubby oak, hazel brush, and some sweet fern. 

Present agricultural development .—Probably somewhat over 
half of this soil is under cultivation at present, and where im- 
proed and where fair methods are followed, usually quite satis¬ 
factory returns are secured. Dairying and potato raising are 
' the chief lines of farming. Somewhat better yields are secured 
than on the sand type. Potatoes are better adapted to this soil 
than to the Vilas sand, and the type is more readily improved. 
The most common rotation followed consists of a small grain, 
followed by clover, and then by corn or potatoes. Some diffi¬ 
culty is experienced in getting stands of clover—one reason be¬ 
ing that the soil is acid and needs lime. In a few cases this has 
been supplied with good results, but on most of the farms no 
lime has ever been used. 


4 —w. o. 


50 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF FINE SANDS AND SANDY 

LOAMS 

These soils have intermediate texture and hence have moder¬ 
ate water-holding capacity. They are not fine enough to be es¬ 
pecially well adapted to grasses for pasture, though a fair qual¬ 
ity of pasturage can be secured on the heavier phases of these 
soils. The more deeply rooted crops, such as clover, rye, corn 
and potatoes, find sufficient moisture during average seasons and 
suffer from drought only during periods of relatively low rain¬ 
fall. 

In chemical composition these soils are also of an interme¬ 
diate character. The total' phosphorus averages from 850 to 
900 pounds in all types except the Vilas sandy loam which con¬ 
tains, on an average about 1,150 pounds in the surface 8 inches 
per acre, or from 25 to 40 per cent more than the other types. 
The total potassium of the surface 8 inches per acre is approxi- 
* mately 25,000 pounds or but little over one-half of that found 
in heavier soils such as the Kennan silt loam. The organic mat¬ 
ter of these soils is also comparatively low, averaging from 2.5 
to 3.0 per cent in the surface 8 inches and from 1 to 2 per cent 
in the second 8 inches. They have a correspondingly low nitro¬ 
gen content averaging from a thousand to 1,500 pounds in the 
surface 8 inches and from 500 to 800 pounds in the second 8 
inches. This organic matter is largely in the form of leaf-mold 
and fine roots and is hence of an active character so that it de¬ 
composes quickly when the surface is first broken, furnishing a 
sufficient supply of nitrogen for a good growth of crops for a 
few years. It however, is exhausted with comparative readiness 
and the most important point in the management of all of these 
soils is to follow^ methods which will maintain and increase the 
organic matter. In the virgin condition these soils are but 
slightly acid as a rule, but with continued cropping the acidity 
increases and for the best growth of clover and especially al¬ 
falfa liming is essential. This use of lime not only makes the 
soil more suitable for the growth of alfalfa and clover but as¬ 
sists in preventing the leaching of phosphorus and maintaining 
it in a form which is available for growing crops. 

The management of these soils to maintain the fertility will 
depend to a considerable extent on the crops grown and on 
whether or not stock is maintained to which the produce of the 


GROUP OF SANDY LOAMS AND FINE SANDS. 


51 


farm is fed. When dairying or other live stock farming is prac¬ 
ticed it will be less difficult to maintain the supply of the essen¬ 
tial elements of plant food—phosphorus, potassium, and nitro¬ 
gen. But even when stock is maintained it is very probable that 
the moderate use of some form of phosphorus fertilizers will be 
found profitable, and some means for increasing the organic 
matter in addition to the use of stable manure should be made 
use of as far as practicable. The growth of a crop of soybeans 
or clover, occasionally, all of which is to be plowed under as a 
green manuring crop, will be found very profitable in its effect 
on the succeeding crop of corn or grain. 

When these soils are used for the growing of potatoes or other 
special crops to a considerable extent the use of commercial fer¬ 
tilizers containing phosphorus and potassium will be found nec¬ 
essary to maintain the soil fertility. Clover or some other 
legume must be grown regularly in the rotation to maintain the 
nitrogen and organic matter, and part or all of this should be 
plowed under. It is often desirable to use the commercial fer¬ 
tilizers containing phosphorus and potassium in order to secure 
a good growth of this clover and there is little loss in so doing, 
since essentially all of the phosphorus and potassium applied to 
the soil for the clover becomes available to the succeeding crop 
through the decomposition of the organic matter. 

The use of lime in some form and also the inoculation of •the 
soil is of the utmost importance when alfalfa is to be grown 
and will be found helpful on the older fields even for the growth 
of medium red or mammoth clover. 

While the use of commercial fertilizers containing phosphorus 
and potassium is desirable in the management of these soils it 
must not be considered that this is an indication that they have 
less value, than heavier soils which are relatievly higher in these 
elements, for the growth of potatoes and other special crops. 
The fact that these soils become dry and warm early in the sea¬ 
son makes them less subject to local frosts and the finer tilth 
which these fine sands and sandy loams develop fit them espe¬ 
cially well for the growth of potatoes and some other root crops, 
since they are practically free from checking and cracking. 
The cost of these fertilizers is a comparatively small part of the 
total cost of growing these crops. 

From the above it will be seen that by the use of lime, by in¬ 
creasing the organic matter in the soil, and by the careful use 


52 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


of commercial fertilizers containing phosphorus, these sandy 
soils may be improved and made to produce profitable crops. 

For further suggestions on the management of these soils and 
for information regarding source and use of fertilizers consult 
Bulletin 204 and 230 of the Experiment Station. 

















GROUP OF SAND SOILS. 


53 


CHAPTER V. 

GROUP OP SAND SOILS 

PLAINFIELD SAND 

Extent and distribution .—The Plainfield sand is quite an ex¬ 
tensive soil. The principal development of the type is found in 
the southwestern part of the county in the Town of Dayton. It 
is found in other smaller areas in various other parts of the 
county, hut mostly in the western half. In the northeastern por¬ 
tion this soil is found in the vicinity of Embarrass and along the 
Pigeon River between Clintonville and Marion. 

Description .—The surface of Plainfield sand to an aver¬ 
age depth of 8 to 12 inches consists of a loose, rather open 
sand of medium texture. It has a grayish-brown or yellowish- 
brown color at the surface, indicating a low content of organic 
matter. The upper subsoil is often a rusty brown grading into 
a yellow or light yellow sand which frequently contain a small 
amount of fine gravel. Gravel and a few small stones are some¬ 
times found in and on the surface soil. 

The chief variation in this soil is found in the areas in the 
eastern and northeastern parts of the county where the material 
contains less gravel and is frequently entirely free from both 
gravel and stones. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of Plainfield sand is 
level to very slightly undulating. In a few places there are pot 
holes or sags, but these are always of limited area. The slight 
surface relief is due chiefly to wind action. A few hummocks 
occur which are quite pronounced sand dunes. 

Because of the loose open character of the material the nat¬ 
ural drainage is excessive except where the water table comes 
close to the surface. 

Origin .—The soil is of alluvial origin and has been deposited 
as outwash plains and stream terraces. The material has been 
derived both from crystalline and from sandstone glacial drift. 
In the western and north central portions of the county the 
dark colored crystalline grains are quite numerous; while in the 


54 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


eastern part there is a larger proportion of quartz grains. 
There is no calcareous material present and both soil and sub¬ 
soil show varying degrees of acidity. 

Native vegetation. —The original timber growth consisted of 
scrub oak, jack pine, and white pine with hazel brush and sweet 
fern quite abundant. Most of the type has been cleared and 
placed under cultivation, but because of its low productiveness 
and droughty condition, some farms have been abandoned. It 
is not uncommon for fields to remain idle for several years at a 
time. 

Present agricultural development* —Probably 75% of this 
type is under cultivation more or less regularly and while there 
are some highly improved prosperous farms located upon it, 
there are more farms that are in a depleted state. The chief 
crops grown are potatoes, rye, corn and hay. Clover does not 
do well unless special attention is given to it. Rye does better 
than other small grains but average yields are low. 

Potatoes are the chief cash crop, and a considerable acreage is 
grown on nearly every farm each year. Some dairying is car¬ 
ried on, and this is a good system for building up the soil, but 
the difficulty of securing good yields of forage crops gives this 
soil a handicap in the dairy industry. 

VILAS SAND 

Extent and distribution. —The Vilas sand is found most ex¬ 
tensively in the southwest quarter of Waupaca County. The 
most extensive areas are found in Dayton Township and in the 
southern part of Farrington Township. Smaller areas occur in 
the northwestern portion of the county, chiefly in the vicinity 
south of Big Falls. Smaller and less Important areas are found 
throughout the western half of the county. 

Description. —The surface soil of the Vilas sand to an average 
depth of about 8 inches consists of a brown or grayish-brown 
sand or slightly loamy sand of medium texture. In structure 
the material is usually loose and open. In some small areas the 
texture approaches a fine sand, while in others the soil is some¬ 
what loamy, but these variations are not of sufficient extent to 
be mapped separately. In jilaces the virgin soil is slightly 
darker than usual in the surface 1 or 2 inches because of the ac- 


* See page 56 for chemical composition and improvement. 






Wis. Geol. and Natural Hist. Survey. 


Plate III. 



SHOWING ROLLING SURFACE OF VILAS SAND. 

While erosion is usually not a serious problem on sandy soils, these 
fields, being - somewhat steeper than the average, have washed badly. 
This is due chiefly to furrows which ran up and down the slope along 
the edge of the fields. The surface water, during heavy rains col¬ 
lected in these furrows and soon cut deep channels. With a little 
care this could have been prevented. Furrows should be run with the 
contour of the hills. 



SHOWING TYPICAL LEVEL SURFACE OF PLAINFIELD SAND. 

This soil is loose and open in structure, somewhat droughty and de¬ 
ficient in both nitrogen and the mineral plant foods. With proper 
methods of fertilization and cultivation, however, it can be made to 
produce fair crops as indicated in this view. 







GROUP OF SAND SOILS. 


00 


cumulation of a small amount of organic matter. After a few 
years of cultivation, howeevr, this usually disappears. The sub¬ 
soil consists of a yellow or yellowish-brown sand of about me¬ 
dium texture. This very frequently becomes lighter in color 
and coarser in texture with increase in depth. In some in¬ 
stances gravel may occur sparingly on the surface, but it is usu¬ 
ally more abundant in the subsoil below a depth of 24 inches. 

Stones and bowlders of glacial origin are quite commonly 
found scattered over the surface of this soil, but typically these 
are not sufficiently numerous to interfere materially with culti¬ 
vation. In some localities, however, they do interfere with ag¬ 
ricultural operations to a marked extent. Such areas are indi¬ 
cated on the soil map by means of appropriate symbols. Where 
the soil is stony there is frequently more variation in texture 
than over typical areas of this soil. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the Vilas sand 
varies from gently rolling to somewhat hilly. Most of the slopes 
are rather gentle and the hills fairly well rounded. Many areas' 
have but a gently rolling topography. In the southwestern part 
of the county many of the areas of Vilas sand stand out in 
rather sharp contrast to the surrounding level country where 
the soils belong to the Plainfield series. Because of the surface 
features and the loose, open character of the soil and subsoil, the 
natural drainage is very good and often somewhat excessive. 

Origin .—Vilas sand has been derived from glacial action 
largely from crystalline rock formations, although the underly¬ 
ing rock where much of the type occurs now consists of sand¬ 
stone. The ice sheet in its movement carried the material from 
the region of the granitic rocks out over the standstone area so 
that the resulting soil consists of a mixture of the materials 
from these two sources. Crystalline rock material, however, ap¬ 
peal’s to predominate. No limestone material has entered into 
the formation of this soil and it is all in an acid condition. 

Native vegetation— The original timber growth on this land 
consisted of scrubby oak, and some white pine. In the areas to¬ 
ward the northern part of the county some Norway pine was 
found, and in a few instances hickory has been found growing 
on this soil. The chief growth at present consists of scrubby 
oak, hazel and sweet fern. 

Present agricultural development *—Probably less than half 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 56. 



56 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


of the Vilas sand is under cultivation at the present time. 
Where cleared and under cultivation general farming, dairying 
and potato raising are the usual lines followed. Potatoes are 
the most important cash crop and yield from 75 to about 125 
bushels to the acre with occasional yields-which are somewhat 
higher wdiere special and improved methods have been followed. 
Corn yields from 15 to 35 bushels, oats from 15 to 30 bushels, 
rye from 10 to 15 bushels, and hay from % to % tons per acre. 
It is somewhat difficult to get a good stand of clover on this soil 
and timothy does not succeed very well. The yields on this soil 
depend to a considerable extent upon the amount and distribu- 

0 

tion of rainfall and the manure or organic matter applied to 
the soil. The type is quite easily exhausted by continuous or 
improper cropping, and the methods followed are usually not 
those best suited to building up the productiveness of the land. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF SAND SOILS 

In some respects sandy soils have advantages over heavier 
soils. They become drier and therefore warmer and can be 
worked earlier in the spring and more quickly after rains than 
heavier soils. These advantages are particularly important in 
regions of short growing periods. But when the soil is too 
sandy it does not hold sufficient water from one rainfall to an¬ 
other to satisfy the needs of the growing crops and they there¬ 
fore suffer from drought. Moreover, sandy soils are lower in 
their supply of the chemical elements demanded by crops than 
heavier soils. When these two factors become too low they limit 
the profitable farming of these soils. In the mapping of the 
Soil Survey those soils which are classed as fine sands or sandy 
loams have fairly good water-holding capacity, and when their 
fertility is properly maintained their good qualities in regard 
to warmth and earliness can be taken advantage of and they 
can be farmed with profit. But soils which are classified as 
sands, such as the Coloma and Plainfield sands, are so coarse 
as a rule that they do not have sufficient water-holding capacity 
and their use for the growth of staple crops is ordinarily un- 
piofitable, unless unusual skill is used in their management. It 
must be kept distinctly in mind, however, that all types as 
mapped show some variation in texture or fineness of grain. 

The chief factor limiting their agricultural use is that of wa¬ 
ter-holding capacity. This depends chiefly on the texture or 


GROUP OF SAND SOILS. 


57 


fineness of grain and cannot be affected by any treatment it is 
practicable to give them. The water-holding capacity can be 
somewhat increased by increasing the amount of organic matter, 
but this is a comparatively slow process and the amount of or¬ 
ganic matter it is practicable to develop and maintain in these 
soils will increase their water-holding capacity only to a limited 
extent. 

The total content of the essential elements of plant food in 
these soils is moderate. The total phosphorus in the surface 8 
inches per acre averages between 750 and< 900 pounds and in 
the second 8 inches between 600 and 700 pounds. The total po¬ 
tassium in the surface 8 inches per acre is about 25,000 pounds 
in comparison with 50,000 or 55,000 pounds in the silt loam soils 
of that region. The total nitrogen content is between 1,200 and 
1,400 pounds in the surface 8 inches per acre. 

When a sufficient supply of active organic matter is devel¬ 
oped in these soils a considerable portion of the phosphorus and 
potassium will undoubtedly be made available, but the use of 
fertilizers containing these elements in a more readily available 
form is desirable whenever these soils are farmed. 

The starting point in the improvement of these soils is the 
development of active organic matter through the growth of 
legumes which are able to secure their nitrogen supply from the 
atmosphere. But before legumes can be grown with the great¬ 
est success the liming of the soil is necessary. The growth of 
a good crop of mammoth clover or soybeans through the use of 
lime and mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potas¬ 
sium is the best means of supplying this nitrogen and organic 
matter. In most cases this legume should be plowed under as a 
green manuring crop. 

Probably the best way to get clover started is to seed with a 
small grain. By using a light seeding of rye, disked or har¬ 
rowed in and seeded to clover in the spring, a good stand can 
usually be secured. The seed should be put in a little deeper 
than on heavy soils, and the drill should be followed by a cor¬ 
rugated roller, oil if this implement is not at hand, an ordin¬ 
ary roller, followed by a light harrow should be used. When 
clover is seeded with a small grain in this way the growing 
grain helps to hold the soil in place and prevent blowing of the 
loose soil by the wind. 

As the result of careful experiments on extremely sandy soils 
it appears that the best crop rotation for this class of land con- 


58 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


sists of rye, clover, and corn. If the fertility is extremely low. 
it will be advisable to plow under the entire clover crop. If 
the fertility is fair the first crop may be cut for hay and the 
second plowed under. While potatoes are quite extensively 
grown on these extremely sandy soils this crop is not as well 
adapted to the sand soils as to sandy loam types: It has been 
shown by actual field tests that the yields of corn, for example, 
can be more readily increased on the sand soil than can the yield 
of potatoes. The potato when grown on sand soil does not re¬ 
spond to methods of soil improvement as readily as when grown 
on soils which contain somewhat more silt and clay. The sandy 
loams and fine sands and fine sandy loams are much better 
adapted to potato culture than are the sand soils. It is there¬ 
fore advisable to reduce, where possible, the acreage of potatoes 
on sand soils. 

With an increased acreage of corn it will be possible to put 
up enough silage so silage may be used for summer feeding. 
With this practice less pasture will be required, and this again 
will be desirable since the sand soils do not supply good graz¬ 
ing, and are not well adapted to any of the grasses. This sys¬ 
tem would make possible keeping more stock, and with the in¬ 
creased supply of manure the fertility of the land could be more 
readily maintained. 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


59 


CHAPTER VI. 

GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS 

GENESEE FINE SANDY LOAM 

Most of this soil is limited to the valley of the Wolf River 
where it is found at and below New London. A few other 
patches occur along the Little Wolf river near Manawa. 

The surface soil of this type consists of a brown or dark brown 
fine sandy loam about 8 to 10 inches deep. Some of the surface 
soil is more nearly a very fine sandy loam. The subsoil is a 
lighter brown fine sand, somewhat loamy with frequent thin lay¬ 
ers of red clay. In the Lower depths there is usually found fine 
sand. The type is somewhat variable in texture, ranging from 
a fine sand to a loam, but these separations could not be made 
because of the limited extend of the phases. 

The surface of the type is level, and it is all within the present 
flood plain of the streams along which it occurs. The natural 
drainage is therefore very deficient. 

The material forming the soil is all of alluvial origin and has 
come in part from sandstone and in part from crystalline rock 
material, 

The native timber growth consists of elm, ash, willows, coarse 
marsh grasses and other water loving vegetation. 

Since the type is all subject to overflow only a very small part 
of it has been brought under cultivation. Near New London 
this soil is being farmed to some extent to truck crops, and good 
returns are secured when floods do not interfere. Most of the 
soil is used for pasture and for hay, to which in its present con¬ 
dition it is doubtless best adapted. 

The danger from flooding makes farming on this land uncer¬ 
tain, so that the development of this type of soil is not encourag¬ 
ing. To prevent flooding dikes would in most cases be neces¬ 
sary, and such great expense would not be justified under pres¬ 
ent conditions. 


60 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


GENESEE SILT LOAM 

Most of this soil is associated with the fine sandy loam along 
the Wolf River. Often a strip of fine sandy loam lies between 
the silt loam and the river. The sandy soil being slightly higher 
than the silt loam. 

The surface soil of this type to a depth of 10 inches consists 
of a brown or frequently dark brown rather compact silt loam. 
The underlying material is of a lighter brown color, in places 
it has a suggestion of red in it. The subsoil is usually a silt 
loam or silty clay loam in which lenses of fine sand sometimes 
occur. The deep subsoil is frequently found to be a fine sandy 
loam or very fine sand. The type as a whole is subject to con¬ 
siderable variation. 

The surface of this soil is level, and as it is low and within 
the flood plain of streams the natural drainage is very poor. 
It is subject to annual flooding and in places new material is 
being added to it each high water. 

The timber growth consists of ash, elm, willow, soft maple, 
coarse grasses and other water loving vegetation. In a few 
places attempts have been made to cultivate it but the danger 
of flooding prevent any extensive developments. The soil itself 
is very fertile and productive, and if the drainage could be per¬ 
fected it would be a valuable soil. Under present conditions it 
would not be practicable to attempt to drain it. The use of 
dikes, and possibly pumping plants would be necessary which 
would not be justifiable under prevailing conditions. 

WHITMAN SILT LOAM 

Extent and distribution .—This type occurs in two distinct 
forms. One is as depressions, or sags in the upland, and the 
other is as low land bordering streams. The latter is by far 
the most extensive, and the largest tract of this type is found 
along the Wolf River just north of Fremont, in the southeastern 
part of the county. Smaller tracts occur along the same stream 
in the northeastern part of the county and also along the Em¬ 
barrass River. A few scattered areas of the other phase occur 
throughout the remainder of the county, but these are of lim¬ 
ited extent. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to a depth of 10 
to 18 inches consists of a dark brown or black loam to silt loam 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


61 


which contains a large amount of organic matter. In numerous 
places there is a thin layer of peat or muck over the surface of 
the earthy matter. This organic matter layer, however, is not 
sufficient to justify classing the type as peat or Muck. The sub¬ 
soil consists of a black or darkf brown heavy loam or silty clay 
loam which at from 18 to 24 inches usually becomes gray or 
bluish in color, with numerous yellow and rusty mottlings. In 
the lower portion of the 3 foot section the texture frequently 
becomes lighter and is often a fine or very fine sandy loam. 
The type is subject to considerable variation in texture, depth 
of the black soil over the bluish subsoil, and also in the sand 
layer in the deep subsoil. It is uniform however in being all 
rather heavy, dark colored, high in organic matter and all 
poorly drained, giving it all a uniformity in its present agri¬ 
cultural value. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this type is level, 
or having only a very gentle slope toward the stream along 
which it occurs. The small depressed tracts frequently have a 
saucer shape. Because of its low position, and its situation 
adjacent to streams its natural drainage is very deficient. Prac¬ 
tically all of that along streams is subject to overflow, and much 
of it is under water for some portion of each year. 

Origin. —The portion of the type adjacent to streams is 
largely of alluvial origin with a large accumulation of organic 
matter in surface. The parent material came largely from the 
crystalline rock region, although within the area much of the 
soil lies directly over sandstone formations. The part of the 
type which is not adjacent to streams is largely of glacial origin 
and occurs chiefly in shallow potholes or slight depressions where 
drainage is deficient, and where there has been an accumulation 
of organic matter. In most cases there is no lime carbonate in 
the material forming this soil and the material shows varying 
degrees of acidity. 

Native vegetation. —-The native vegetation on this soil consists 
of willows, elm, ash, soft maple, and some poplar. There are 
quite extensive tracts which are treeless, and where there is now 
only a dense growth of coarse marsh grass. 

Present agricultural development. —The chief use made of this 
soil is for pasture and hay, but a considerable part of it is too 
wet even for such use. 

Chemical composition and fertility. —The Whitman silt loam 
is quite similar to the Clyde silt loam of southeastern Wisconsin, 


02 SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 

\ 

differing chiefly by being acid, while the Clyde soils are not acid. 
From the standpoint of plant food elements which they contain 
these two types represent the best balanced soils in Wisconsin. 

Whitman silt loam contains from 3—5 times as much nitrogen 
and organic matter as does the average light colored heavy soil 
of the same region. It contains from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds pei 
acre of phosphorus in the surface 8 inches, and from 40,000 to 
50,000 pounds of potassium. 

In the improvement of this type the first step is to supply 
adequate drainage. Open ditches will not be sufficient by them¬ 
selves, and should be supplemented by the use of tile drains. 
When well drained this will be one of the strongest and natur¬ 
ally most productive soils of the county. Because of the ex¬ 
tremely low position the reclaiming of some of this land would 
require diking, which under present conditions would not be 
justified. 


dunning fine sandy loam 

Extent and distribution .—This soil is found rather widely dis¬ 
tributed throughout the county, usually in small bodies and 
narrow strips along water courses. In but few instances does 
a single area exceed one square mile in extent. The soil is 
found most extensively in the eastern half of the county-- 
mostly in the southeastern quarter, where it is associated with 
other low-lying soils along the valley of the Wolf River. 
Smaller tracts occur along the Embarrass River and also along 
smaller streams of the county. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type consists of a dark 
brown to black fine sandy loam extending to a depth of from 
8 to 12 inches. In places the texture approaches a sandy loam, 
while in other places it is nearly a very fine sandy loam. In all 
cases it contains a large amount of organic matter and there is 
frequently a thin covering of peaty or mucky material over the 
surface of the type. This is not deep enough, however, to be 
classed as shallow peat. The subsoil consists of a grayish, or 
grayish brown fine sandy loam or gritty sandy clay loam con¬ 
taining considerable silt in places. The deep subsoil is often 
mottled, especially where there is the most clay present. The 
texture of the type is quite variable but is always somewhat 
sandy, high in organic matter and low-lying. 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


63 


Topography and drainage. —The surface of this type is level, 
it is all low lying and the natural drainage is very deficient. 
Much of the type is subject to overflow and portions of it are 
under water for a time each year. 

Origin. —That portion of the type adjacent to streams is 
largely alluvial in origin, while that more distant from streams 
is largely glacial, occurring in old lake or pond beds. The par¬ 
ent material came in part from crystalline rock regions, and in 
part from sandstone formations. In most cases the material is 
acid. 

Native vegetation. —The native vegetation consisted of elm, 
willows, ash, soft maple, some poplar, and coarse marsh grasses. 
Many areas are treeless and support only coarse grasses. 

Present agricultural development. —The chief use made of 
this soil is for hay and pasture but much of it is too wet most 
of the year even for such use. In a few instances better 
drained parts of the type have been placed under cultivation, 
and during seasons of limited rainfall good crops are produced. 

Chemical composition and fertility. —This soil is well supplied 
with nitrogen and organic matter, but is usually deficient in 
the mineral plant foods phosphorus and potassium. The great¬ 
est deficiency, however, is in drainage, and before cultivated 
crops can be grown successfully a thorough system of drains 
must be provided. Open ditches as now installed are not suffi¬ 
cient in themselves, and must be supplemented either by open 
laterals, or tile drains, or both. When drainage has been pro¬ 
vided it will be found that the most economical and profitable 
crop production can be secured by the use of mineral fertilizers 
containing phosphorus and potassium. Such crops as alsike 
clover and timothy, buckwheat, and corn may be expected to 
give best results on this kind of land under good management. 

POYGAN CLAY LOAM 

The surface soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches consists of a dark 
brown to black silty clay loam to silty clay. This is underlain 
by a light brown, drab, or bluish silty clay often mottled with 
brown and yellow. At from 14 to 20 inches the material 
changes to a plastic clay streaked or spotted with pinkish-red 
and bluish-gray. With increasing depth the reddish color be¬ 
comes more pronounced until at from 20-24 inches the mate¬ 
rial becomes a dense, pinkish red clay similar to the subsoil of 
the Superior soils. 


64 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


This type is of limited extent and occurs in many small widely 
scattered areas throughout the eastern half of the county. It 
is found mostly in small pockets or sage of less than 100 acres 
in extent. The largest area mapped lies north of Bear Creek. 

The surface is flat or saucer shaped, and the natural drainage 
is poor. Water frequently stands on the surface in the spring 
and after heavy rains. Before it can be used for cultivated 
crops drainage is necessary. The material forming this soil is 
largely of lacustrine origin though it has doubtless been modi¬ 
fied to some extent by glacial action. There has been accumu¬ 
lated at the surface a large amount of organic matter which 
accounts for its dark color. This soil is seldom acid, and the 
subsoil frequently contains considerable lime carbonate. 

The native timber growth consisted of elm, ash, willow with 
considerable coarse grass and other water loving vegetation. 

This is naturally a strong productive soil when drained, but 
only a very small proportion of it has been placed under cul¬ 
tivation. Where cleared, it is being utilized chiefly for grazing 
and for hay.* 


POYGAN SILT LOAM 

The Poygan silt loam is not an extensive type but it is found 
in numerous small tracts throughout the northeastern portion 
of the county. There is also some in the southeastern part of 
the area. It frequently borders marshes, and is also associated 
with soils of the Superior series. 

The surface soil of this type to an average depth of about 12 
inches consists of a dark brown or black silt loam which contains 
a very high proportion of organic matter. While much of the 
surface is a silt loam the type is somewhat variable, and many 
of the areas approach a loam in texture and there is also some 
fine sandy loam included with the type. 

The subsoil consists of a gray or bluish silt loam which con¬ 
tinues to from 24 to 30 inches where the typical red color of 
the Superior clay loam is found. At or near three feet, beds of 
sand or fine sand are frequently found. The upper portion of 
the subsoil is subject to some variation. It may be no heavier 
than a loam with which there is mixed more or less gritty mate¬ 
rial. Entire absence of the red clay was noted in places. 


* For chemical composition and improvement of this soil see page 66. 



GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


65 


The surface of this type is low, level and naturally very 
poorly drained. Most of it is so situated, however, so that 
it can be drained by the use of tile. 

The material forming this type is largely lacustrine but since 
its deposition there has been added to it large accumulations 
of organic matter through the growth and decay of a rank vege¬ 
tation. Before this organic matter accumulated the material 
had doubtless been influenced to some extent by glacial action. 
The material, especially in the subsoil, is of a calcareous nature, 
and the type is very seldom found to be in an acid condition. 

The original timber on this land consisted chiefly of elm, 
soft maple, ash, willows, alder, coarse grasses and other water 
loving vegetation. 

Because of the naturally poor drainage, only a small part of 
this type has been placed under cultivation. It is a rich pro¬ 
ductive soil, and when thoroughly drained makes excellent 
farming land. Most of it is now utilized chiefly for hay and 
pasture. # 


POYGAN FINE SANDY LOAM 

The surface soil of this type consists of a black, or very dark 
brown fine sandy loam or loam which contains a large amount 
of organic matter. This usually extends to a depth of about 12 
inches where the material becomes lighter in color, and usually 
heavier in texture. At about 18 inches a drab, gray or bluish 
silt loam or loam somewhat gritty is found and this continues 
to from 2 to 3 feet where the red clay typical of the Superior 
series is usually but not always found. The lower subsoil is 
quite variable and may be a sticky sandy loam or loam of a 
bluish color. In a few places it was a fine sand. It is probable 
however that the heavv red clav occurs beneath all of this soil, 
although not always within reach of the soil auger used. 

This soil is of limited extent. It is found chieflv in the north- 

«/ 

eastern quarter of the county. Several small tracts occur east 
and west of Embarrass, three miles north of Bear Creek, and 
about three miles northwest of Clintonville. 

The surface is level, low lying and the natural drainage very 
poor. It is found associated ivith other Poygan soils, and with 
types of the Superior series. It frequently occurs bordering 
marshes. 


* Sea page 66 for chemical composition and improvement of this soil. 

5—W. O. 



66 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Tlie red subsoil has the same origin as the Superior soils, but 
it is probable that the sandy portion of the material may have 
been washed in from the higher lying lands adjoining. The 
dark color is of course due to the growth and decay under moist 
conditions of a rank vegetation. 

The native timber vegetation consisted of elm, ash, willows, 
alder, coarse grasses and other moisture loving vegetation. 

But little of this soil is cleared and cultivated because of the 
poor drainage condition. Most of it is devoted to pasture or to 
hay, although some is still in timber and is not utilized at all. 
When thoroughly drained this will be an excellent soil for farm¬ 
ing crops and also for numerous trucking crops, where other 
conditions are favorable for the developmet of intensive farm¬ 
ing operations. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF POYGAN CLAY LOAM, 
SILT LOAM, AND FINE SANDY LOAM 

These types of soil are characterized by having relatively large 
amounts of organic matter, accumulated as a result of poor 
drainage. The supply of phosphorus in these soils is usually 
fairly high, but in many cases it is not readily available. Its 
availability will depend largely upon the rate of decomposition 
of the organic matter. The total amount of potassium in these 
soils is fair in all and large in some, but the chief question here 
also is in regard to its availability. 

While soils well supplied with vegetable matter as these usu¬ 
ally are, do not need special treatment with reference to po¬ 
tassium and phosphorus immediately after reclamation, they 
very generally do show a need of care in this regard within a 
few years, and patches of these types frequently fail to produce 
satisfactory crops even immediately after drainage and breaking 
unless barnyard manure or special mineral fertilizer is used. 

In the improvement of these types the first step of course is 
drainage. Both open ditches and tile drains can be installed 
to advantage in the reclamation of these lands. Plowing fields 
in narrow strips with dead furrows from 2 to 4 rods apart, and 
having these lead into shallow open ditches along the side of the 
field will greatly assist in carrying off the surface water. In 
order to make the internal drainage of the soil complete, how¬ 
ever, tile drains should be used to supplement the surface 
ditches. 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


67 


With thorough drainage these soils will be adapted to a wide 
range of general farm crops. Special crops such as cabbage and 
sugar beets are well suited to these lands when drained. 

PEAT 

The material mapped as Peat consists of decaying vegetable 
matter in varying stages of decomposition with which there has 
been incorporated a small amount of mineral matter. Where 
raw and fibrous, and only slightly decomposed, the Peat has a 
brown color, but where more completely decayed it becomes 
darker and is sometimes black. It is light in weight as com¬ 
pared with other soils, and is loose and rather spongy. The 
surface material is often of a lighter brown color than that 
found at a depth of 2 feet or more. This is usually true of the 
timbered marshes. In some instances the more thoroughly de¬ 
composed material occurs at the surface and the raw fibrous 
peat is found at lower depths. This appears to be the case most 
frequently where marshes were originally treeless. 

The material mapped as Peat ranges in depth from 18 inches 
to over 3 feet. Where less than 18 inches it has been classed 
as shallow peat and mapped separately. In some instances the 
peat is known to be over 10 feet deep. The material found be¬ 
neath the peat is variable. Where the marshes are surrounded 
by sandy soils the peat is usually underlain by sand, and where 
the upland bordering the marsh is heavy the material under the 
marsh is usually also'heavy. 

Peat is an extensive soil in Waupaca county and is found in 
practically all parts of the county. The tracts vary in size 
from a few acres to several square miles. Of the most extensive 
areas may be mentioned one found 5 to 6 miles southwest from 
Clintonville, one 7 to 8 miles east of Manawa and another im¬ 
mediately northeast from White Lake. East of Embarrass 
there are also several smaller tracts. Many less important areas 
are scattered throughout the county. The line between the Ken- 
nan and Superior soils is frequently marked by areas of Peat. 

The surface of all peat areas is low, level, water soaked, and 
naturally very poorly drained. Before farming operations can 
be carried on the Peat must be reclaimed by some system of 
drainage. A small proportion of the marsh land inWaupaca 
County has been drained more or less thoroughly by open 
ditches, which in some cases have been supplemented by tile 
drains. 


68 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Probably the most important factor in determining the value 
of marsh land will be the crops which can be grown upon it. 
This depends upon two factors, first the degree of drainage, and 
second the danger from frosts. When only the main outlet and 
lateral ditches have been installed, in the great majority of 
cases, hay crops are the only ones which can be safely grown, 
and the character of the hay will also depend a good deal on 
the character of the drainage. In the case of peat land under¬ 
lain by sand, the drainage by well constructed and sufficiently 
deep ditches 40 to 80 rods apart will, in some cases give ade¬ 
quate drainage for hay. When the peat is underlain by silt 
or clay, however, ditches not more than 20 rods apart will be 
necessary ,and these must lower the water in the ditch to a 
point 4 or 5 feet below the surface during part of the grow¬ 
ing season. When tilled crops are grown, such as corn, cab¬ 
bage, or potatoes, or small grains are to be grown the drainage 
must be more certain, and over the larger proportion of the 
marsh land this will mean the installation of drainage systems 
in the form of either open lateral ditches or of tile not more 
than 10 and often not more than 5 rods apart on the average. 
Tile drainage is the more satisfactory. The cost of tile drain¬ 
age will vary from $40—$80 per acre after the main outlets 
have been put in. 

It is well known that frosts frequently occur on marsh land 
when there is no frost at all on the higher land adjoining. 
This is partly because the cold air which forms on the surface 
of all the ground at night tends to flow down and collect jn 
low places, but it is also the result of the fact that the loose, 
spongy soil of peat marshes does not conduct the heat received 
from the sun during the day downward to so great an extent 
as do upland earthy soils. In consequence of this, the lower 
layers of soil do not become warmed in peat marshes as they do 
in other earthy soils and the little heat left in the surface inch 
or two is rapidly lost at night by radiation, so that he freezing 
point is frequently reached on such soil when it would not be 
on more earthy soils such as sandy loam or clay loams which 
would conduct the heat downward better during the day, and 
so keep warm farther into the night. 

I his difficulty with peat marshes can be overcome to a cer¬ 
tain extent by heavy rolling which, by compacting the soil, per¬ 
mits the heat to be conducted downward more readily. It will 
also to a certain extent become less in time as the peat decom- ] 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


69 


poses and takes on more of the character of muck. Neverthe¬ 
less, it must always he expected that marsh land will be more 
subject to the late spring frosts and the early fall frosts than 
high land. It may be stated as a general guide that the oc¬ 
currence of killing frosts is as liable on marsh land at any given 
point as it is on upland soil having good air drainage about 
150 miles farther north. In other words the marshes of Dane 
County are as liable to have a frost which will kill corn as 
early as are the upland regions of Shawano, Marathon and 
Clark Counties. The marsh land regions of Waupaca County 
are as liable to have frost two weeks or more earlier than the 
hilltops of the same latitude. This means that corn and po¬ 
tatoes, while safe crops for the upland region, are not safe for 
the marsh land, and should not be depended on as the chief 
marsh land crops. 

The native vegetation on the Peat marshes consisted chiefly 
of coarse marsh grasses, sedges, and sphagnum moss on the open 
marshes, with willow, alder, some poplar, and tamrack on the 
timbered tracts. 

By far the greater portion of the Peat is still in its wild 
state. Some tracts have been cleared and are being utilized 
for hay and pasture. The hay is made from the coarse marsh 
grasses which have a considerable lower feeding value than the 
tame grasses. Wire grass from some marches is marketed for 
making rugs and matting. In a few instances small tracts have 
been reclaimed and are being used for cultivated crops. Part 
of the tract north from Waupaca is used for growing potatoes, 
cabbage, celery, onions and other garden truck. It is well 
suited to these crops. There is no reason why a larger propor¬ 
tion of the Peat lands of this county should not be reclaimed 
and utilized for these and other cultivated crops, as well as for 
hay and pasture. 

Peat. Shallow Phase .—The shallow peat is not nearly so ex¬ 
tensive as the deep peat, although it is fairly well distributed 
throughout the area. It often forms the border between the 
highland and areas of deep peat, but some tracts are made up 
entirely of the shallow peat. 

The only difference between the two phases is that the shal¬ 
low peat has a depth of 18 inches or less, while the deep peat 
has a greater depth—usually over three feet. Both are made 
up of the same material and have the same origin. As with the 
deep peat the subsoil is variable, and conforms quite closely 


70 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


with the character of the adjoining upland. Where heavy soils 
border the marsh the underlying material is usually heavy, but 
where the upland is sandy the subsoil of the marsh is usually 
sandy also. There is probably somewhat more mineral matter 
mixed with the shallow peat, than with the deep peat, but none 
of the material could be classed as muck. But very little of the 
shallow peat is under cultivation. It is utilized to some extent 
for hay and pasture, but only a few small areas have been re¬ 
claimed for cultivation. 

Chemical composition and fertility .—In the improvement of 
peat lands in Waupaca County the first step, of course, is drain¬ 
age. With the exception of some of the marshes immediately 
along the Wolf River it is thought that much of the peat could 
be readily drained and successfully cultivated. Along the Wolf 
River the surface of the peat is so low that much of it would 
require diking, or a lowering of the bed of the river, which 
would Be very expensive, and hardly justifiable under present 
conditions. 

The chief difference between peat soils and upland soils con¬ 
sisting largely of earthy matter, is that they have relatively 
small amounts of the mineral elements phosphorus, potassium, 
calcium, and magnesium, and have extremely high amounts of 
nitrogen in the organic matter. The average per cent of phos¬ 
phorus in the peats of this region so far analyzed is 0.135 per 
cent. This means that in an acre of soil to a depth of a foot 
there is approximately only 675 pounds, or in two feet 1,350 
pounds in comparison with upland soils which have approxi¬ 
mately twice these amounts. Moreover, the acid condition of 
these soils renders the phosphorus less available than in non¬ 
acid soil. 

The deficiency of potassium in these soils is greater than that 
of phosphorus. They contain on the average 0.3 per cent of 
this element, while good upland clay loam soils average two per 
cent, or over six times as much expressed in percentage. When 
the greater weight of the upland soils is taken into account it 
will be found that they contain in the upper two feet 120,000 
pounds per acre, while the peat soils contain but 3,000 pounds. 

A large amount of organic matter in these soils gives them an 
extraordinary amount of nitrogen. They average 2.5 per cent 
of this element, while the upland silt loam soils of this region 
contain but about 0.12 per cent and this only in the surface 
eight inches the amount in deeper layers being much less. 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


71 


As a result of this difference in the chemical composition the 
peat soils are very unbalanced. Their rational treatment re¬ 
quires the use of fertilizers containing especially the elements 
phosphorus and potassium. These elements are contained in 
relatively small amounts in barnyard manure and good appli¬ 
cations of manure will secure good yields of crops on peat soils, 
but manure contains large amounts of nitrogen not needed by 
the peat, so that when a farm includes upland soils as well as 
peat, the manure should be used on the upland soils and com¬ 
mercial fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium used on 
the peat land. 

On the deeper peats which are in a very raw and acid condi¬ 
tion the use of lime in some form in addition to the commercial 
fertilizers will probably be found profitable. Occasionally a 
marsh is found on which on account of coldness and high acid¬ 
ity at first nitrification or the chemical change by which the 
nitrogen in the organic matter becomes available to crops does 
not take place readily and the use of a light application of com¬ 
posted stable manure to inoculate the soil with the proper or¬ 
ganisms is very helpful. 

Crops and system of farming on marsh lands .—Since the 
growth of corn and potatoes to which these marsh lands would 
otherwise be adapted, is limited in this section on account of 
the danger from frost, the best staple crops for this land are 
grasses for hay and pasture, hardy root crops, and rye, and to a 
less extent oats. Wheli properly fertilized and limed, clover, 
alfalfa, and other legumes can also be grown. On fairly well 
drained marsh land not too raw good pasture can also be devel¬ 
oped. The compacting of the soil resulting from the use of this 
land as pasture is also a great benefit to it. When peat land is 
placed under cultivation a heavy roller should be classed along 
with implements necessary to its successful management. 

On account of the crops to which this land is adapted and its 
use as a pasture, marsh lands can be used for dairying or stock 
raising to good advantage. 

Certain special crops, such as cabbage, onions, buckwheat, and 
rape, are well adapted to such lands when well drained and fer¬ 
tilized.* 

* For more complete discussion of the management of marsh soils see 
bulletin on this subject by the Agricultural Experiment Station. 



72 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


CHAPTER VII. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY 

The development of agriculture in this region was preceded 
by the growth of the logging and lumbering industries. The 
earliest settlements were made chiefly in the sandy portions of 
the county as the forest growth here was largely pine, which was 
the only timber handled by the early lumberman. 

The first farming operations were started in Waupaca County 
in 1849 on a bit of sandy prairie in the town of Lind. The first 
farms, opened after the advance of the lumbermen, were small. 
While farming ventures were first started largely on the sandy 
soils following the cutting of the pine, the highest agricultural 
development has been reached in those sections where the soils 
are heavier. The earlier and more primitive types of farming 
have gradually developed into the present conditions of agri¬ 
culture. Farming lias extended into practically all parts of the 
county with the exception of some areas in the northwestern part 
which are still in a cut-over stage. Even through this section 
a number of farms are already in operation. By far the greater 
proportion of the county is well improved agriculturally. 

While practically all the general farm crops now grown were 
produced in the early history of the county, the relative impor¬ 
tance of a number of the crops has changed to a considerable de¬ 
gree. In 1879, wheat occupied 21,731 acres, which was more 
than twice the area devoted to oats, and nearly twice as much 
as was devoted to corn. In 1909 the total area devoted to wheat 
was only 1150 acres, while there were 38,860 acres devoted to 
oats and 19,948 to corn. The acreage devoted to hay, corn and 
potatoes has steadily increased since the early history of the 
county. The acreage devoted to rye and barley has changed 
less than that devoted to the other general farm crops. The 
development of the potato growing industry has been marked. 
In 1879, there was a total production of 250,307 bushels, while 
in 1909 the yield amounted to 2,392,213 bushels. In 1919 the 
yield was 1,907,046 bu. an average of 106 bu. per acre. 

* Figures given for 1919 are from reports of asses -ors. 


73 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 

m 

The type of farming which is followed most extensively in 
Waupaca County is based upon the dairy industry. In the 
southwestern and western parts of the county, potato raising is 
the leading industry in connection with dairying. In the east¬ 
ern part, in the region of Superior soils, much less attention is 
paid to potato growing, and dairying is the leading industry. 
In the region of these heavier soils there are a number of farms 
upon which not enough potatoes are grown to supply the home 
table. On these heavier soils grain raising receives more at¬ 
tention than elsewhere. 

Practically all of the crops grown at present may be consid¬ 
ered in part as cash crops, for hay, corn, oats, rye and barley 
are sold to some extent directly from the farm. Potatoes are 
grown mainly for sale, although they are one of the most impor¬ 
tant subsistence crops. The greater part of the hay, corn, oats 
and barley is used in feeding life-stock, and a large proportion 
of it finally reaches the market in the form of dairy products, 
beef and pork. 

Hay is grown more extensively than any other crop. In 1909 
the census reports 58,286 acres in all hay crops with a produc¬ 
tion of slightly over 98,000 tons. Of the hay crops grown, by 
far the greater proportion consists of timothy and clover mixed. 
A small amount of timothy is grown alone and also a small 
amount of clover. There are approximately 9,500 acres from 
which marsh hay is cut, and the balance of the hay crop is made 
up of alfalfa, millet, glam which is cut for hay, and coarse for¬ 
age crops. The best hay crops are produced on the heavier type 
of the Superior, Kennan and Antigo series. As many of the 
soils in the western part of the county are somewhat acid, alsike 
clover is sometimes grown in place of red clover. Red clover 
does well on land whose productiveness has been kept up, and 
succeeds on new land in spite of the acidity; but on run down 
fields which are acid, it is frequently difficult to get a good 
stand of clover. In 1919 there were 1248 acres of alfalfa in 
the county. 

In 1909, the acreage devoted to oats was 38,860 acres which 
produced a total yield of 1,153,059 bushels. This crop does best 
on the fine sandy loams, loams and silt loam soils. Where it is 
raised on the extremely sandy soils in the southwestern part of 
the county, results are usually unsatisfactory. In 1919 the aver¬ 
age was 40,781. 


74 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


In 1909, corn was grown on 19,948 acres, and the total yield 
was 602,144 bushels. This crop is not grown as extensively as 
in counties to the south as the climate does not always permit 
the crop to mature. In 1919 there were 32413 acres in corn, 
about 67 percent was used for silage and the remainder was 
harvested for grain. 

The potato crop is one of the most important, especially in 
the southwestern quarter of the county where sandy soils pre¬ 
dominate. In 1909, the acreage amounted to 19,810 acres and 
the total yield 2,392,213 bushels. While the greater proportion 
of the crop is grown in the extremely sandy sections, the best 
yields are obtained where there is a sufficient amount of clay 
in the soil to make it somewhat loamy. In 1919 the acreage was 
1,907,046. 

A large part of the potatoes if not immediately sold from 
the field are stored in dealer’s warehouses or in cooperative 
warehouses until finally put on the market. Dealers usually 
charge 3c a bushel for storage, including insurance, between 
October 1 and January 1, and lc a month or fraction per bushel 
for each succeeding month. Many farmers have storage cellars 
for potatoes, but do not always use them on account of the diffi¬ 
culty in handling the potatoes during extremely cold weather. 
The variety most extensively grown is the Rural New Yorker. 
Among other varieties grown are Cobbler, Triumph and He¬ 
bron. There is a gradually increasing number of potato grow¬ 
ers who are co-operating with the State Experiment Station in 
the production of standard varieties. Many of these farmers 
are treating their seed according to instructions given by the 
College, are having their fields inspected by representatives of 
the Experiment Station, and are producing high grade, certified 
seed. The question of co-operating in storing and marketing 
the potato is also receiving considerable attention. 

Rye was grown on 8,204 acres in 1909, and the total yield for 
that year amounted to 109,381 bushels. This crop is grown 
most extensively on sandy soils, and gives better results on the 
extremely sandy types than any of the other small grain crops. 
In 1919 there were 13,462 acres in rye and the average yield 
was 15 bir. 

During 1909, barley was raised on 5,734 acres, and produced 
a total yield of 145,890 bushels. In 1919 there were 4,597 acres 

in barley. Its production is fairly well distributed over the 
county. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 75 

There was a gradual reduction in the growing of wheat from 
1880 until 1910 when only 1,150 acres were devoted to this crop. 
Average yields during this year amount to about 20 bushels per 
acre. Owing to the great demand for wheat at the present time, 
there has been an increased acreage devoted to wheat production, 
though it is still very small as compared with the acreage of 30 
years ago. In 1919 there were 1225 acres of winter wheat and 
2315 acres of spring wheat in the county. The heavy types 
of Superior, Ivennan, and Antigo series are well adapted to 
the growing of this crop. 

The following table shows the acreage and production of the 
principal crops in the last four census years: 


Crop 

1879 

1889 

1899 

1909 

Acres 

Bushels 

Acres 

Bushels 

Acres 

Bushels 

Acres 

Bushels- 

Hay. 

26,995 

26,898T 

37,867 

44,368T 

43,212 

66,299T 

58,286 

98,771T 

Oats. 

9.897 

272,947 

22,963 

846,531 

34,634 

1,186,360 

38,860 

1,153,059 

Corn. 

11,055 

300,122 

12,709 

435,031 

16,075 

491,559 

19.948 

602.144 

Patatoes 


250,307 

11,127 

1,261,920 

17,498 

1,572,554 

19,810 

2,392,213 

Rye. 

5,904 

69,933 

7,330 

112,069 

11.343 

167,280 

8,204 

109,381 

Barley.. 

1,724 

32,128 

1,056 

30,731 

2,414 

62,330 

5,734 

145,890 

Wheat... 

21,731 

252.925 

12,564 

212.889 

12,160 

240,400 

1,150 

21,955 


It will be noted from the foregoing that the most recent sta¬ 
tistical data quoted is from the U. S. Census taken in 1909. In 
order that the progress since that time may be studied there is 
given below more recent figures collected by the Cooperative 
Crop Reporting Service for Wisconsin. 

The following table has been compiled by the Cooperative 
Crop Reporting Service For Wisconsin, and appears in Bulletin 
No. 28 of the State Department of Agriculture: 






































76 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


ANNUAL REPORT ON CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION FOR WAUPACA 

COUNTY, WISCONSIN 


No. of farms .. 

Acreage in 22 cultivated crops including- tame hay. 

Value 16 principal crops. 

Corn, all acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Corn for grain, acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Corn for silage, acreage. 

Production—tons. 

Silos, number... 

Oats—acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Winter wheat, acreage. 

Production—busnels. 

Spring wheat, acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Barley—acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Buckwheat, acreage. 

Production—bushels...... 

Rye, acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Dry beans, acreage. 

Production—bushels. 

Dry peas, acreage. 

Production. 

Clover and timothy, acreage. 

P reduction—tons. 

Alfalfa, acreage.. 

Production—tons.. 

Other tame hay, acreage. 

Production—tons. 

Wild hay, acreage. 

Production—tons.. 

Potatoes, acreage.. 

Production—bushels.. 

Cabbage, acreage. 

Production—tons. 

Sugar beets, acreage. 

Peas for canning, acreage. 

Other root crops, acreage. 

Flax, acreage. 


1919 

1918 

1909 

3,613 


3,417 

158,700 

156,593 

139,078 

$7,407,488 

$6.077,189 


32.740 

31,812 

19,948 

1,440,560 

1,145,232 


10,477 

10.498 


481,942 

388,426 


21,936 

20,996 


216,586 

188,964 


2,398 

2,039 


39,781 

40,108 

38,860 

1,074,087 

1.604,320 


1,225 

686 

844 

20,825 

14,406 


2,315 

2,487 

306 

23.150 

54,714 


4,497 

5,066 

5,734 

94,437 

172,210 


481 

620 

373 

7,215 

8,680 


13,462 

11.586 

8,204 

201,930 

208,548 


97 

249 

115 

970 

3,237 


119 

136 

191 

1,547 

1,768 


47,777 

44,549 

44,017 

71.643 

44,549 


520 

201 

78 

1,248 

482 


357 

482 

387 

536 

578 


8,360 

9,085 

9,566 

9.196 

10,902 


17,991 

18,145 


1,907,046 

2,104,820 


94 

45 

30 

705 

360 


88 

187 

102 


23 


45 

97 


11 

10 

6 




























































































GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


t i 



January, 

1920 

J mu ary, 
1919 

April, 

1910 

Horses and mules, number. 

12,379 

12,301 

11,482 

Milk cows, number.. 

33,578 

32,995 

31,152 

Other cattle, number. 

26,762 

26,005 

20,384 

Sheep, number. 

5,656 

5.ICO 

7,246 

Swine, number. 

27,045 

28,658 

23,672 

Milk produced, cwt... 

1.665,462 







Of tlie special crops cucumbers are grown to some extent 
mostly on the sanely soils. Salting stations are located at sev¬ 
eral of the towns within the county. In a few localities in the 
eastern part of the area sugar beets are grown. Most of these 
are shipped to the beet sugar factory at Menomonie. Cabbage 
is another crop of some importance, though it is not raised as 
extensively in this county as in Outagamie County to the east. 
Minor crops used in supplementary feeding are mangels, rape, 
peas, turnips and so forth. To supply the home needs there is 
grown the usual line of garden produce. Strawberries are 
raised to a limited extent, as are also raspberries, currants and 
other bush berries. The trucking industry, however, is not de¬ 
veloped on a commercial scale in this region. Fruit growing 
receives but little attention in Waupaca County. Apples are 
grown more extensively than any other fruit, and most of the 
farms have a small home orchard, but apples are not raised on 
a commercial basis. The census of 1910 indicates that there are 
something over 60,000 apple trees in the county. Apples do 
best in those sections of the county where the surface is more 
or less rolling. The heavy level areas of soil, for example, are 
not well adapted to fruit, owing to the poor drainage condi¬ 
tions prevailing. 

The raising of live stock is an important industry. In 1909 
there were 51,536 cattle in the county, of which 31,152 were 
milch cows. During the same year the census reports indicate 
there were 23,672 hogs and 10,457 sheep. During that year 
there were 18,107 calves sold or slaughtered, and over 26,000 
head of hogs were sold from the farms in the area. Hogs are 
raised chiefly in conjunction with dairying and general farming, 
though hog raising is not as well developed in this county as in 
sections where corn is more certain to mature. 

























78 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


Sheep are raised on a few farms and are confined most largely 
to the rougher portions of the area, though some are found in 
nearly all parts of the county. 

The dairying industry is one of the most important in the 
county. The dairy products sold during 1909 amounted to 
.$1,202,611, exclusive of home use. Of the dairy stock, cattle 
of Holstein breeding are most numerous with Guernseys second 
in importance. There are a few herds of Jerseys and also a 
few Short Horns. There are quite a number of pure bred herds 
of registered stock in the county, though the greater propor¬ 
tion of the herds are being built up from grade stock. There 
are several cow testing associations within the area, and as a 
result of the work being done along this line the cows of poor 
production are being gradually weeded out. The milk is manu¬ 
factured into butter and cheese and a considerable amount is 
taken to the condenseries located at Manawa and New London. 
The total amount of milk is fairly evenly distributed through 
these three channels. Creameries are located in most of the 
princpal towns, and at some neighborhood centers. One of the 
most modern and up-to-date creameries is located at Iola. 
Cheese factories are most common in the southeastern and north¬ 
western parts of the county. Most of the milk in the eastern 
and east-central part is disposed of to the condenseries. A large 
proportion of the cheese factories and creameries are run on 
the co-operative basis. On Jan. 1, 1920 there were 33,578 cows 
on the farms in Waupaca County. During 1919 the amount of 
milk produced was 1,665,462 cwt. and this has a value of $4,- 
879,804. In 1918 there were 53 cheese factories and 31 cream¬ 
eries in the county. 

€/ 

Farmers generally recognize the importance of the adapta¬ 
tion of crops to certain soils. It is generally recognized, for 
example, that rye will do better on the sandier type of soil than 
will any of the other small grain crops. It is generally consid¬ 
ered also that potatoes can be grown more profitably upon 
soils of a sandy nature than on heavy types. ' In this region, 
where the season is somewhat short, corn is more certain to ma¬ 
ture on the light sandy soils than on the heavy clay areas, be¬ 
cause the sandy soils warm up more quickly in the spring. 
The sandy types, however, are not so well adapted to hay crops, 
and to oats and barley, as are the heavier soils. The general 
methods of farming followed are about the same as those prac¬ 
ticed throughout the general farming and dairying districts of 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


79 


A\ isconsin. The silo is in quite common use on dairy farms and 
a considerable part of the corn crop is handled as ensilage. 
Usually sufficient means are taken to prepare the'land for all 
crops. Plowing is usually to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and on 
the heavier soils much of the plowing is done in the Fall. Disk 
harrows are frequently used for pulverizing the soil. On some 
of the sandier types rye is often sown without the land being 
plowed. In such cases the seed is harrowed or drilled in fol¬ 
lowing the removal of the previous crop, and in the case of corn 
it is frequently sown before the shocks are removed. Where 
potatoes are grown, modern machinery is in common use, and 
where the acreage justifies their purchase most farms are sup¬ 
plied with horse-drawn planters, diggers and spraying outfits. 
In all lines of farming modern machinery is in common use on 
most of the farms. 

Throughout most of the area the farms are equipped with 
substantial, well-built and attractive buildings. This is especi¬ 
ally noticeable in the eastern half of the county. Practically 
every dairy farm has a silo. Many of these are made of 
wooden staves, but recently a large number have been con¬ 
structed by the use of concrete. A number of the dairy farms 
are now equipped with power milking machines. Improved im¬ 
plements, such as manure spreaders, seeding and harvesting ma¬ 
chinery, are in common use. Farm tractors are being intro¬ 
duced in a few places in an experimental way. 

A rotation quite commonly followed on the sandy soils con- 

• 

sists of small grain, followed by clover, and this by potatoes. 
The second crop of clover in some instances is plowed under 
as a green manuring crop, though this practice is not general. 
On the extremely sandy types it is desirable to arrange a system 
so that the ground maj^ be covered as much of the time as pos¬ 
sible to prevent drifting, which sometimes causes damage to 
growing crops. On the heavier soils the usual rotation is some¬ 
what different from those on the sandy types. Here corn more 
frequently takes the place of potatoes, and the land is usually 
left in grass for hay for two years, and frequently is pastured 
for one year before again being plowed. On neither the sandy 
or heavy types has the question of crop rotation been given the 
careful consideration which it deserves. 

Stable manure is the most common fertilizer used, a second 
crop of clover is frequently plowed under as a green manuring 
crop, and sometimes rye is plowed under. The practice of green 


80 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


manuring, however, is not at all common. Commercial fertiliz¬ 
ers are being used in a few cases, chiefly in an experimental way 
and mostly oil the potato crop. It is certain that the use of com¬ 
mercial fertilizers will gradually increase since the results ob¬ 
tained on the potato crop in this and other counties are very 
gratifying. In the vicinity of Weyauwega on a sandy loam soil, 
unfertilized, the yield of potatoes was 85 bushels to the acre. 
On the same soil where 14 spreader loads of manure were used, 
supplemented with 500 pounds of a complete commercial fertil¬ 
izer, the yield amounted to 350 bushels to the acre. Experi¬ 
ments which have thus far been conducted indicate that the best 
results with the commercial fertilizers are secured on soils which 
are in a fairly*good state of fertility. 

The question of securing competent farm labor is often some¬ 
what difficult. In many cases, however, especially where the 
farms are small, the members of the family are able to do prac¬ 
tically all of the farm work—extra Ikbor being needed only at 
the time of haying and harvesting. 

Farms usually range in size from 40 to 160 acres, although 
there are a number of holdings of 200 acres or more. On many 
of the larger farms there is a considerable amount of unim¬ 
proved land. The average size of all farms in the county, ac¬ 
cording to the 1010 census, was 110 acres. In 1910 there were 
3,794 farms in the county and in 1920 there were 3,770 farms. 

The last census reports that 90.1% of all farms in the county 
were operated by the owner. Most of the rented land is in the 
poorer sandy sections. Rent is usually on the share basis, the 
tenant furnishing equipment and half of the stock and seed and 
receiving one-half of the farm produce. While the share sys¬ 
tem is most common, there are a number of variations in this 
system. 

The value of lands has been steadily increasing in this county. 
The better improved farms sell from $100 to $150 per acre where 
ell located. Cut-over lands, mostly in the northwestern part 
of the county, have a selling value from $15 to $35 per acre. 

1 lie farms in the sandy region where the fertility of the soil 
is sometimes low and the improvements rather inferior have a 
value of around $40 per acre, though this of course is extremely 
variable depending upon a number of factors. 


CLIMATE. 


81 


CLIMATE 

The climatic conditions in Waupaca County are fairy repre¬ 
sentative of a considerable area in the central part of Wiscon¬ 
sin. While the topographic features of the county are not uni¬ 
form for all sections, there is probably not a great variation in 
liability to frost in various parts of the county except over the 
marsh areas. As none of the large marshy tracts have been 
reclaimed, the question of liability of frosts on these marshes 
at times when the frost would not affect the upland is not of 
great importance at the present time. As the marsh areas are 
reclaimed here, it will doubtless be found to be true in this 
region, as in other sections of the state, that frost in the marsh 
land will occur about the same time as frost in the upland will 
occur at a point one hundred miles farther north. 

The table given below contains climatic data gathered by the 
Weather Bureau Station located at Waupaca. This station has 
an elevation of about 870 feet above sea level. 

The following table shows the normal monthly and annual 
temperature and precipitation at Waupaca: 

NORMAL MONTHLY AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION 



Mean 

tempera¬ 

ture 

Highest 

tempera¬ 

ture 

Lowest 

tempera¬ 

ture 

Mean 

precipi¬ 

tation 

January. 

16.2 

51 

—32 

1.01 

February. 

15.5 

53 

-38 

0,93 

M are.h. 

29.0 

72 

—16 

2.08 

April. 

44.1 

86 

7 

2.66 

M a,y r . 

56.4 

91 

20 

4.14 

June. 

65.3 

102 

30 

4.42 

July. 

70.7 

100 

42 

3.48 

A lismst,. 

68.1 

96 

36 

3.41 

September. 

60.9 

95 

18 

3.25 

Oetnber,, . . 

48.2 

85 

11 

2.29 

November,, ,. 

33.6 

68 

-13 

1.71 

December. 

19.5 

50 

-24 

1.28 

Annual. 

44.0* 

102 

-38 

30.66 







6—W. O. 

















































82 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


From the above table it will be noted that the average rain¬ 
fall for the year amounts to nearly 31 inches. A large propor¬ 
tion of this occurs during the growing months when most 
needed, but occasionally, especially in July and August, crops 
may suffer somewhat from the lack of moisture. Storms of a 
destructive nature are very rare. The climate of the region is 
healthful and well suited to a high development of agriculture. 
While the winters are long and rather severe, the temperatures 
are much more uniform than farther south. The average snow¬ 
fall amounts to about 40 inches. The summers are very pleasant 
and farm crops make rapid growth. 

The average date of the last killing frost in the spring, as 
recorded at Waupaca, is May 22, and the average date of the 
first killing frost in the fall is September 28. This gives an 
average growing season of 137 days free from killing frosts. 
The average season is therefore sufficiently long to permit the 
maturing of corn. However, early fall frosts frequently occur 
which damage the crop, as was the case in 1917, when but little 
corn matured in Wisconsin. Corn will always mature suffi¬ 
ciently, however, for silage, and a large proportion of the crop 
is disposed of in this way. 

Excellent water for household purposes and for stock can be 
readily secured in all parts of the county. There are many flow¬ 
ing wells in the eastern half of the county. In the southwestern 
part of the area there are a number of lakes known as the Wau¬ 
paca chain of lakes which attract many tourists during the sum¬ 
mer season. 


SUMMARY. 


83 


SUMMARY 

Portage County is situated a little to the east of the center 
of the state. It comprises an area of 759 square miles or 485,- 
760 acres. The surface features vary from level to rolling to 
hilly, with the major part of the county gently rolling. Eleva¬ 
tions along railroads range from 767 to 930 feet aobve sea level. 
All of the county lies within the drainage basin of the Wolf 
River. The Embarrass, Waupaca, and Little Wolf are tribu¬ 
taries of the Wolf River which traverse portions of the area 
surveyed. 

The first settler came to Waupaca County in 1843, and settled 
at the present site of Fremont. The county was organized in 
1851. In 1910 the population of the county was 32,782 of which 
83.7% was classed as rural. This is a well established region, 
and population is fairly well distributed throughout the county. 
The largest tracts of unimproved land are in the northwestern 
part of the county. 

This country is traversed by the main line of the Green Bay 
& Western Railroad, the Soo Line, and the eastern side of the 
area is skirted by the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. 

The mean annual rainfall is approximately 31 inches, and the 
mean annual temperature 43.9 degrees. The winters are long 
severe with a snow fall of about 40 inches, but the summers are 
warm and all crops make rapid growth. There is an average 
growing season of 127 free from killing frosts. 

The agriculture of the county shows all stages of development. 
The southwestern portion of the area has considerable sandy soil 
some of which has a low value for farming purposes. There are 
also some sandy spots in other parts of the county but not of 
such great extent. There are many highly improved farms 
within the area, and this is one of the leading potato growing 
districts of the state. 

The principal crops grown are hay, oats, potatoes, corn, rye, 
barley, some wheat and buckwheat. General farming is the pre¬ 
vailing type of agriculture, with dairying and potato growing 
as the most important interests. The average size of farms is 
110 acres and approximately 90% of the farms are operated by 
their owner. 


84 


SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 


The soils of this county are variable and range in texture 
from sand to clay. There are numerous areas of marshland but 
little of which has been reclaimed to date. The material form¬ 
ing the soils has been derived largely through glacial action 
from crystalline and sandstone rocks. The underlying rock in 
the western half of the county is largely crystalline, while the 
eastern half is chiefly sandstone. There is also considerable 
lacustrine material in the county, but since its deposition by 
water it has been influenced by glacial action. In the low, un¬ 
drained places there are large accumulations of organic matter 
making up the peat marshes. 

In the classification of the soils of this county these various 
materials have been separated into 10 soil series and 24 types, 
not including peat. In several instances phases of types have 
also been recognized. Each soil has peculiar characteristics by 
which it can be recognized, and the full understanding of these 
characteristics are necessary in the selection of crops and sys¬ 
tems of farming best suited to each soil. 


KEEP THE MAP 

( 

The Experiment Station will publish bulletins from time to 
time dealing with the management of the different types mapped, 
so that some way should be found by each person receiving a 
copy of this report to keep the map permanently. If the map 
is folded in such a way as to have the part you are interested 
in of a convenient size, and then have a simple frame with glass 
made to hold it, it can be kept indefinitely. Since some of the 
colors fade after being exposed to strong light for a long time, 
it would be a good plan to have a protecting flap of dark cloth 
over the map when not in use. 


WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 


W. O. Hotchkiss, Director and State Geologist. 

A. R. Whitson, in Charge, Division of Soils. 

SOIL SURVEY IN COOPERATION WITH THE COLLEGE OF 

AGRICULTURE 
H. L. Russell, Dean. 


BULLETIN NO. 5ID 


SOIL SERIES NO. 26 


SOIL SURVEY 


OF 


OUTAGAMIE COUNTY 


WISCONSIN 


BY 


A. R. WHITSON, W. J. GEIB, MARTIN O. TOSTERUD, MARION C. 

FORD AND E. J. GRAUL 


OP THE 


Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 


AND 


HORACE V. GEIB 


OF THE 


United States Department of Agriculture 


SURVI 



Madison, Wisconsin 
Published by the State 
1921 






Geological and Natural History Survey 


BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 

John J. Blaine, 

Governor of the State. 

Edward A. Birge, President. 

President of the University of Wisconsin. 

President of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and 
and Letters. 

John Callahan, Vice-President. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 


STAFF OF THE SURVEY 


ADMINISTRATION: 

William O. Hotchkiss, State Geologist, Director and Superintendent. 

In immediate charge of Geology Division. 

Ernest F. Bean, Assistant State Geologist. 

Lillian M. Veerhusen, Chief Clerk. 

Frances Walker, Clerk and Stenographer. 

Angeline Doll, Clerk. 

GEOLOGY DIVISION: 

William O. Hotchkiss, In charge. 

Ernest F. Bean, Geologist, Mineral Land Classification. 

Thomas C. Chamberlin, Consulting Geologist, Pleistocene Geology. 
Edward 0. Ulrich, Consulting Geologist, Stratigraphy, by coopera¬ 
tion of the U. S. G. S. 

Henry R. Aldrich, Geologist. 

Ray Hughes Whitbeck, Geographer. 

Edward Steidtmann, Geologist, Limestones. 

Fredrik T. Thwaites, Well Records, Educational Rock Collection. 

NATURAL HISTORY DIVISION: 

Edward A. Birge, In charge. 

Chancey Juday, Lake Survey. 

DIVISION OF SOILS: 

Andrew R. Whitson, In charge. 

♦Warren J. Geib, Inspector and Editor. 

Theodore J. Dunnewald, Field Assistant and Analyst. 

Francis J. O’Connell, Field Assistant. 

William H. Pierre, Field Assistant. 

Julius E. Rubier, Field Assistant. 

*Scientist in Soil Survey, in charge of field operation in Wisconsin for 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. 





TABLE OF CONTENTS 


Page 

Table of Contents. 3 

Illustrations . 5 

Introduction . 7 

CHAPTER I 

General Description of the Area. 11 

Soils. 13 

CHAPTER II 

Group of Heavy Soils. 18 

Superior silt loam.. 18 

Superior silt loam, rolling phase. 19 

Superior clay loam. 20 

Superior clay loam, rolling phase. 21 

Chemical composition and improvement of heavy soils 22 

CHAPTER III 

Group of Loam and Fine Sandy Loams. 27 

Superior loam . 27 

Superior loam, rolling phase. 28 

Superior fine sandy loam. 29 

Superior fine sandy loam, rolling phase. 30 

Miami loam . 31 

Miami fine sandy loam. 31 

Antigo fine sandy loam. 33 

Antigo loam. 34 

Chemical composition and fertility of loams and fine 

sandy loams. 35 

CHAPTER IV 

Group of Fine Sandy Soils. 38 

Coloma fine sand. 38 

Coloma fine sandy loam. 39 

Plainfield fine sand. 40 

Chemical composition and fertility of fine sands. 41 




























4 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER Y 

Page 

Group of Poorly Drained Soils. 44 

Poygan clay loam. 44 

Poygan silt loam. 44 

Poygan fine sandy loam. 45 

Chemical composition and fertility of Poygan soils.. . 46 

Clyde silt loam. 49 

Clyde fine sandy loam. 50 

Whitman loam. 46 

Dunning fine sandy loam. 48 

Genesee silt loam. 50 

Genesee fine sandy loam. 51 

Peat . 52 

Peat, shallow phase. 54 

Chemical composition and fertility of Peat. 54 

CHAPTER VI 

General Agriculture and Climate. 57 

History . 57 

Present status of agriculture. 58 

Adaptation of crops to soils. 62 

Rotation of crops. 64 

Farm equipment . 67 

Farm tenure and labor. 68 

Methods. 68 

Liming. 69 

Distribution of lime, commercial fertilizer and manure 70 

Drainage. 72 

Climate . 73 

Summary . 75 



























ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES AND FIGURES 

Page 

Plate I. View showing surface features of the Superior 

Soils . 20 

View taken on Superior clay loam, rolling 
phase . 20 

Plate II. Surface features typical of Superior fine sandy 

loam, rolling phase. 30 

Showing sand areas which have been influenced 

by wind action, forming low dunes. 30 

FIGURES 

Figure 1. Sketch map showing areas in state covered by 

the soil survey. 11 

Figure 2. Sketch map of Outagamie County showing the 

geological formations. 13 

Soil Map of Outagamie County 


Attached to back cover 










« 


INTRODUCTION 


Before the greatest success in agriculture can be reached it is 
necessary that the farmer should have a thorough knowledge of 
the soil upon his own farm. A soil may be well adapted to one 
crop, and poorly adapted to another crop. Clover will produce 
a vigorous growth and profitable yields on the average loam soil 
which contains lime and is in a sweet condition; but on a sandy 
soil which is sour, or in an acid condition, clover will not make 
a satisfactory growth. We may say, therefore, that failure is 
certain to be invited when such important facts are disregarded, 
or overlooked. The degree of success which it is possible to win 
on any farm is in direct proportion to the practical knowledge 
possessed by the farmer concerning the soil and its adaptation 
to crops. A thorough knowledge of the soil is as essential to the 
farmer as a knowledge of merchandise and business methods is 
to the merchant. 

The State of Wisconsin, working in cooperation with the 
United States Department of Agriculture, is making a careful 
study of soils and agricultural conditions throughout Wisconsin, 
and is preparing soil maps and soil reports of all counties in 
the State. A soil map shows the location and extent of the differ¬ 
ent kinds of soil. Tracts of 10 acres and over are mapped, but 
often areas of even smaller extent are shown. The soil map is 
prepared by trained men, who go over a county thoroughly, 
and examine the soil by making a sufficient number of borings 
to a depth of 36 inches to keep account of all variations. A re¬ 
port is also made, to accompany and explain the map, and this 
is based upon a careful study of the soils within the region sur¬ 
veyed, and upon such other features as have a direct bearing 
upon the agriculture of the area. 

It is the object of this survey to make an inventory of the 
soils of the State, and to be of practical help to farmers by 
locating and describing the different soils, b}^ determining their 
physical character and chemical composition, and by offering 



8 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


suggestions for their management, based upon the work of the 
Soil Survey within the area covered in the report, and upon 
the results of field tests made by the Experiment Station. 

Soil fertility depends upon two factors: first, upon the physi¬ 
cal characteristics of the sod, such as water-holding capacity, 
workability, etc., and second, upon the chemical composition of 
the material composing the soil. The chemical composition de¬ 
pends upon the mode of origin of the soil, and the source of 
material from which the soil is derived. 

Water holding capacity and other physical properties of soil 
all depend chiefly upon texture, which refers to the size of the 
individual soil grains, or particles. A coarse sandy soil, for ex¬ 
ample, will not retain moisture as long as a loam soil, or clay 
loam, because the finer the soil grains, the greater will be the 
total soil-grain surface area to which moisture may adhere. 

Texture is determined in the field by rubbing the soil between 
the thumb and fingers, and with experience one soon becomes 
expert at judging the size of soil grains. This field judgment 
is verified in the laboratory by a mechanical analysis, which is 
made by a simple method of separating soil grains into different 
groups, of which there are seven. These are known as clay, silt, 
very fine sand, fine sand, medium sand, coarse sand, and fine 
gravel. 

A chemical analysis is also made of the soil to determine the 
amounts) of various essential plant-food elements which are 
present. A chemical analysis shows whether the soil contains a 
large store of plant food, or only a small quantity, and it indi¬ 
cates which kinds of plant food will probably be needed first. 
The amount of organic matter in the soil is also determined, and 
tests are made to show conditions relative to soil acidity. 


SOIL CLASSIFICATION. 

Soils are grouped according to texture into soil classes, a soil 
class being made up of soils having the same texture, though 
differing in other respects. A fine sand, for example, may be 
light colored and of alluvial origin, while another fine sand may 
be dark in color and of residual origin, while a third fine sand 
may have been blown into sand dunes by the wind, yet all of 
these soils would belong to the same class, because the greater 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 


9 


proportion of the soil grains have the same size or texture. Thus 
we may have different kinds of clays, loams, sands, etc., and the 
class to which any soil will belong depends upon the size of the 
individual soil grains of which it is composed, and not upon its 
color, origin, topographic position, or agricultural value. 

SOIL CLASSES 

Soils Containing Less Than 20% Silt and Clay 

Coarse sand.—Over 25% fine gravel and coarse sand, and less than 
50% of any other grade of sand. 

Sand.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand, and less than 
50% fine sand. 

Fine sand.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, coarse 
and medium sand. 

Very fine sand.—Over 50% very fine sand. 

Soils Containing Between 20-50% of Silt and Clay 

Sandy loam.—Over 25% fine gravel, coarse and medium sand. 

Fine sandy loam.—Over 50% fine sand, or less than 25% fine gravel, 
coarse and medium sand. 

Sandy clay.—Bess than 20% silt. 

Soils Containing over 50% of Silt and Clay 

Loam.—Less than 20% clay, and less than 50% silt. 

Silt loam.—Less than 20% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Silty clay loam.—Between 20 and 30% clay, and over 50% silt. 

Clay.—Over 30% clay. 

Soils may be grouped in another way. Where soils are closely 
related through similar sources of the material from which de¬ 
rived, mode of origin, topographic position, etc., so that the dif¬ 
ferent soils constitute merely a gradation in texture of other¬ 
wise uniform material, such a group is called a soil series. It 
corresponds to the family which is made up of different indi¬ 
viduals having the same parentage. The Miami series, for ex¬ 
ample, includes light colored, glacial material where the soils 
have been derived largely from the underlying limestone, and 
the soils in the series range in texture from a clay loam to sand 
and gravel. The Plainfield series includes light colored soils in 
regions where no limestone is present, where the parent rock 
was largely sandstone, and where the material occurs as outwash 
plains or stream terraces. As the soils of this series have been 


10 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


derived largely from sandstone, the types are mostly of a 
sandy nature. The name used for a soil series usually in¬ 
dicates the locality where that particular series was first recog¬ 
nized and mapped by the Soil Survey. By uniting the soil class 
with the soil series we get the soil type which is the basis or 
unit of classifying and mapping soils. A soil type thus, is a 
soil which is uniform throughout its entire extent in texture, 
color, topographic position, and other physical properties, and 
having a distinct agricultural unity, that is, being adapted to 
the same crops, and requiring the same treatment. It is also uni¬ 
form in the source of material from which it is derived, and the 
mode of origin which, taken together, determine the chemical 
composition. Since the soil type is the unit in classifying and 
mapping soils, and the basis upon which experimental work 
should be conducted, every farmer should be familiar with the 
soil types on his farm, and their leading characteristics. 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE 
COUNTY, WISCONSIN 


CHAPTER I. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA. 

Outagamie County is located in the east-central part of Wis¬ 
consin, and covers an area of 646 square miles, or 413,440 acres. 



Viewed from an agricultural standpoint, Outagamie County 
ranks with the foremost of the state. Over 80 per cent of the 
total area is in farms, and more than two-thirds of this is im¬ 
proved land. Several rather large areas of marsh occur in the 
north-western part of the county. Lying between the Em¬ 
barrass, Wolf and Shioc Rivers is a broad, flat stretch of fan ly 
fertile soil, which was principally laid down by these streams 
during seasons of high water. This aiea coveis most of the 
townships of Deer Creek, Maple Creek, Liberty and the west 

part of Cicero. 






















































12 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY . 


In the townships of Liberty and Hortonia, and between Hor- 
tonville and Stephensville, numerous hills and ridges of fine 
sand occur. Similar hills are also found in the northern part 
of the town of Maine. 

South and east of the low fiat plains mentioned above is the 
most important farming section of the county. It consists of 
the rolling, fertile Superior soils. The highly improved condi¬ 
tion of the farms, the excellent farm buildings and the modern 
school houses and churches all point to these soils as being 
among the most productive of the region. The remainder of 
the county to the southeast is principally occupied by the level, 
heavy, Superior soils. In fertility and productiveness, they 
rank close to the rolling Superior, but on account of their low 
flat character they are usually deficient in drainage. 

The northern and western portions of Outagamie County are 
drained through the Wolf River and its tributaries into Lake 
Michigan. 

The Wolf, the Embarrass and the Sliioc Rivers draining the 
north-western part of the area are all slow, meandering, slug¬ 
gish streams within this area, and a great deal of the low, flat 
surrounding territory is subject to overflow in the spring of 
the year. The streams in the eastern and southern parts of the 
county have a larger amount of fall. The Fox River in a dis¬ 
tance of thirty-five miles, has a difference in elevation of 170 
feet. The excellent water power facilities offered by this stream 
have been highly developed and have made this region famous 
as a paper and pulp producing center. 

The first white man to settle in the county was probably Dom¬ 
inique Ducharme, who established himself in 1790 near the 
present site of Kaukauna. In 1851, Outagamie County was 
formed from Brown County. 

Over Outagamie County the population is quite evenly dis¬ 
tributed. The township of Maine is most thinly settled, and 
the region directly bordering the Fox River is the most thickly 
settled. The census of 1920 reports the population of the county 
as 55,113. This gives an average of 85.3 persons per square 
mile. 

Outagamie County is well supplied with railroad facilities. 
The wagon roads through the county are generally in fair con¬ 
dition. A system of concrete roads is now under construction, 
which when completed will connect all of the principal towns 
in the county. 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE AREA. 13 

The towns within the area afford a market for much of the 
farm produce, but the greater part is shipped to outside points. 
Of the agricultural output, dairy products are most important. 
Butter and cheese are shipped to all parts of the country. Sev¬ 
eral milk condenseries are located within the county. Livestock 
of all kinds are shipped from towns in the area. Excellent 
markets are within easy access of all farms. 


ONEIDA INDIAN RESERVATION. 

The Oneida Indian Reservation is located in the north-east 
corner of Outagamie County. The entire reservation consists 
of over 60,000 acres of land, but nearly half of this is in Brown 
County. 

In 1824 about eighty Oneida Indians coming from the state 
of New 1 ork purchased land of the Menominee Indians along 
Duck Creek within the present boundaries of the reservation. 
More of the same nation continued to come, and by 1838 the 
colony numbered about 650. In this year the United States 
Government made its first treaty with them, setting aside one 
hundred acres of land for each individual. The Indians, as a 
rule, have done little to improve the land within the reserva¬ 
tion, although a few have cleared farms and built homes. 


/? is £ 


Ft Jt, £ 



LEGEND 


'T*~enCSr-< and r » 
Galena Limestone 


553 


5 t Peter- 
SOndstorie. 


m 


Lower niagn*. jion 
lime st one 


Fbtodam .sar>d.storv.e 


Figure 2.—Sketch map of Outagamie County, showing the underlying 
rock formations, from which the soil has in part been derived. 
































































































































































14 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


During the past few years most of the Indians have been 
given a clear title to their lands, with the privilege to sell or 
dispose of the same, and, due to this fact, white settlers and 
land companies are rapidly getting control of a larger part of 
the area, and are clearing and improving much of the excellent 
land which has heretofore lain idle. 

Near Oneida Station, within the reservation, the Government 
maintains a free school with a farm where the Indian children 
may be sent for nine months of the year with no expense what¬ 
ever to the parents. District schools are also maintained 
throughout the area, and several churches have been erected. 
The bulk of the population is in the southern part of the reser¬ 
vation, the thickest settlements being along the banks of Duck 
Creek. The northern part is very thinly settled. 

SOILS.* 

Outagamie County, in common with the greater part of east¬ 
ern and northern Wisconsin, owes the general character of its 
surface material to several distinct methods of accumulation. 
These materials may be of glacial, alluvial or lacustrine (de¬ 
posited in lakes) origin. In addition to these agencies may be 
added the accumulation of organic matter in low places which 
has resulted in the formation of large areas of peat soils. In a 

*In comparing this issue of the soil survey report of Outagamie 
County with the edition published by the United States Bureau of Soils 
it will be noted there is some difference in the naming of some of the 
soil types. In the State report the types have been correlated with 
the soils as previously mapped within the State while in the report 
issued by the United States Bureau of Soils the types have been cor¬ 
related with the soils as they occur in adjoining States. The follow¬ 
ing table gives the various soils to which different names have been 
applied in the two reports. 


Soil Type Names as used by 
U. S. Bureau of Soils 


Clyde fine sandy loam—till phase 

Clyde silt loam—till phase. 

Coloma very fine sand.- 

Genesee very fine sandy loam. 

Kewaunee fine sandy loam. 

Kewaunee loam. 

Kewaunee silt loam...—. 

Kewaunee clay loam. 

Merrimac very fine sandy loam.... 

Merrimac loam. f . 

Plainfield very fine sand.. 


Soil Type Names as used in 
the report issued by the State 
of Wisconsin. 


Clyde fine sandy loam 
Clyde silt loam 
Coloma fine sand 
Genesee fine sandy loam 
Superior fine sandy loam— 
rolling phase 

Superior loam, rolling phase 
Superior silt loam, rolling phase 
Superior clay loam, rolling phase 
Antigo fine sandy loam 
Antigo loam 
Plainfield fine sand 

















GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE AREA. 15 

geological classification which takes into consideration the under¬ 
lying rock formations the county naturally falls into several 
divisions. 

The bed rock underlying the soils of Outagamie County con¬ 
sists of two radically different formations, sandstone and lime¬ 
stone. There are two ages of sandstone and two ages of lime¬ 
stone. The accompanying sketch map shows the approximate 
location and extent of the four rock formations which make 
up the surface rock of this region. These are the Potsdam 
sandstone, lower magnesian limestone, St. Peter’s sandstone and 
Trenton and Galena limestone. 

All of these formations have contributed to some extent to 
the soils of the region. In addition the glacier carried quan¬ 
tities of the granitic material over onto the other rock forma¬ 
tions. The granitic boulders frequently seen are an evidence 
of this action. 

Another formation within the county is represented by the 
heavy red clay. This red material was deposited in quiet waters 
when the Great Lakes stood at a much higher level than at 
present. After being deposited, this material was acted upon 
by the ice sheet and was mixed to some extent with other ma¬ 
terials. The surface in places w T as left level, as along the Fox 
River, and rolling as in the Town of Dale and elsewhere. 

As a result of the various geological agencies which have in¬ 
fluenced this region, the surface of the county falls into three 
rather distinct divisions. 

The northwestern quarter of the county consists of an ex¬ 
tensive alluvial plain in which the soils have been deposited 
by flood waters from the Wolf, Sliioc and Embarrass Rivers. 
These streams traverse regions of both sandstone and crystalline 
rocks and the alluvial soils are therefore a mixture of materials 
from both these sources. Within this region there are extensive 
marsh areas, consisting for the most part of peat. 

In the southeastern part of the county there is a considerable 
area along the Fox River where the soil is a heavy red clay, 
and where the surface is level, it having been influenced to only 
a limited extent by glacial action since its deposition. 

Between this region and the one described as covering the 
northwestern quarter of the county, there is another region 
much larger than either of the other two, in which is found 


16 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


the best agricultural laud within the area. It is a rolling country 
in which the subsoils are largely made up of red clay which 
has been mixed by glacial action with glacial material from 
both sandstone and limestone formations. 

In the survey of Outagamie County, these various materials 
have been classified into ten soil series and nineteen soil types. 
The soil series (which correspond to the family group) are de¬ 
scribed here only very briefly. The individual soil types are 
fully described and are shown on the map, each being indicated 
by a distinct color. It is the sbil types in which we are espe¬ 
cially interested since the type is the unit in mapping and 
classifying soils. Following is a complete list of the soil types 
mapped in the county, and the series or family group to which 
each type belongs. 

The Superior series is characterized by the heavy red clay 
which forms the subsoil of all the types within this series. 
Typically the surface is level or nearly so, and the natural sur¬ 
face drainage is somewhat deficient. Where this same material 
occurs and the surface is sufficiently rolling to insure fair to 
good surface drainage, the term rolling phase is used to de¬ 
scribe it. In this county the rolling phase of the various types 
is more extensive than the typical soil. The types mapped are 
the Superior clay loam, silt loam, loam, and fine sandy loam. 
With each of these types a rolling phase was also mapped. 

The Poygan series includes dark colored, low-lying, poorly 
drained soils underlain by heavy red clays. The types mapped 
in this area are Poygan clay loam, silt loam, and fine sandy 
loam. 

The Coloma series includes light-colored upland soils which 
have been derived chiefly from glaciated sandstone. The types 
mapped are Coloma fine sandy loam and fine sand. 

The Antigo series includes light-colored soils which occur as 
level tracts known as outwash plains or stream terraces. These 
soils have been derived chiefly from glaciated granitic material 
and to a lesser extent from sandstone material, all of which has 
been re-deposited by running waters. The types mapped here 
are Antigo loam and fine sandy loam. 

The plainfield series is similar to the Antigo except that the 
material forming it has been derived largely from sandstone 
instead of from granite rocks. The Plainfield fine sand is the 
only type of the series mapped in this county. 


GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE AREA. 17 

The Miami series consists of light-colored upland soils which 
were originally timbered and which consist of glacial material 
derived in part from limestone. The types mapped in this 
county are the Miami loam and fine sandy loam. 

The Whitman series consists of low-lying, poorly drained, 
dark-colored soils which occur within stream valleys as plains 
or depressions in the upland where the material has come 
largely from glaciated granitic regions and where the soils are 
in an acid condition. The types mapped are the Whitman 
loam and the AYhitman fine sandy loam. 

The Clyde series consists of low-lying, poorly drained, dark- 
colored soils occupying stream valleys, old lake beds or ponded 
valleys where the soil material has come largely from lime¬ 
stone. It is very similar to the Whitman series except that it 
contains a considerable amount of lime carbonate and is very 
seldom in an acid condition. The types mapped were Clyde 
silt loam and fine sandy loam. 

The Dunning series includes dark-colored, light-textured„ 
poorly drained soils, where the parent material for the most 
part is sandstone. The soils of this series are acid. The types 
mapped are Dunning loam and fine sandy loam. 

The Genesee series consists of brown or light brown soils 
which occur as first bottom land. In this area they are of very 
limited extent and of minor importance. Two types, silt loam 
and fine sandy loam, were mapped. 

In addition to these various soils, there are extensive areas 
mapped as peat. This consists of decaying organic matter, 
with which there has been incorporated a very small amount of 
fine earth. 

In the subsequent pages of this report, the various soil types 
mapped in Outagamie County are discussed in detail. 

The distribution of the various soils is shown on the map, 
and the actual and relative extent of each is shown in the fol¬ 
lowing table. 


18 


SOIL SUBVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


AREA OF DIFFERENT SOILS. 


Soil 


Superior loam_ 

Superior loam rolling phase_ 

Peat _ 

Shallow phase_ 

Superior fine sandy loam_ 

Superior fine sandy loam rolling phase 

Superior clay loam ___ 

Superior clay loam rolling phase_ 

Superior silt loam _ 

Superior silt loam rolling phase_ 

Poygan silt loam- 

Antigo fine sandy loam- 

Coloma fine sand_ 

Antigo loam_ 

Genesee silt loam_ 

Whitman fine sandy loam.-- 

Whitman loam- 

Miami fine sandy loam_ 

Poygan clay loam___ 

Plainfield fine sand__ 

Genesee fine sandy loam_ 

Clyde silt loam_ 

Coloma fine sandy loam--- 

Poygan fine sandy loam- 

Clyde fine sandy loam- 

Miami loam-- 


Acres Per Cent 


23.488 

62,656 20.9 

51,264 

8,704 14.5 

7,808 

49,984 14.0 

28,032 

22,528 12.3 

22,528 

26,368 11. 

17,216 4. 

16,512 4. 

15.488 3. 

12,928 3. 

12,672 3. 

9,792 2. 

5,888 1. 

5,184 1. 

4,352 1. 

2,560 
2,176 
1,728 
1,152 
960 
832 
576 


413,440 | 











































GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


19 


CHAPTER II. 

GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


SUPERIOR SILT LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—This soil occupies a total area of 
about one township. Irregular tracts ranging in size from a 
few acres to five or six square miles extend across the eastern 
part of the county in a northeasternly and southwesternly di¬ 
rection. It occurs more extensively in T 24 N, R 19 E in the 
towns of Osborn, Freedom, Grand Chute, and Center. There 
are only a very few small patches in the west half of the county. 

Description— The surface soil of this type to a depth of 
about eight inches consists of a brown silt loam containing a 
considerable amount of organic matter. The surface soil is 
free from gravel and stones. The subsoil consists of a heavy 
compact pinkish red clay, which extends to a depth of over 
three feet. 

There are some variations in this soil, the chief one being the 
depth of the silty material over the heavy red clay subsoil. This 
may vary from four to five inches up to ten or twelve inches. 
There is also some variation in the amount of organic matter, 
the largest amount being found in areas which are slightly de¬ 
pressed. Aside from these variations, which are all of minor 
importance, the type is very uniform. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of the Superior silt 
loam is level, or only very gently undulating, and because of 
the heavy character of the subsoil, natural drainage is some¬ 
what deficient. During spring, when heavy rains are common, 
the soil becomes saturated, hence it warms up more slowly than 
soils having a more rolling surface. Over a considerable part 
of this type tile drains could be installed to good advantage. 

Origin .—The material forming this soil has been derived 
largely from lacustrine (lake laid) material which was de¬ 
posited in quiet waters at a time when the Great Lakes stood 


20 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


at a much higher level than at the present time. After this 
first deposition it was modified to some extent by glacial action. 

Native vegetation. —The original timber growth consisted 
chiefly of maple, birch, elm, some beech, and pine. Practically 
all of the merchantable timber has been removed. Most of this 
soil has been cleared, and is now in highly improved farms. 
About the only exception to this is in the extreme northeast 
corner of the county in T 24 N, R 19 E where the land was until 
very recently a part of the Indian Reservation. 

Present agricultural development* —The chief crops grown 
consist of hay, small grains, corn, and root crops. It is natur¬ 
ally a strong productive soil; when drainage is provided, very 
good yields are secured. On practically all of the farms made 
up of this soil, there is some land which is too wet for the grow¬ 
ing of cultivated crops without supplying some form of drain¬ 
age. When thoroughly drained, this soil will rank along with 
the best in the county. It is somewhat more difficult to culti¬ 
vate than soils of lighter texture, but if plowed when moisture 
conditions are favorable, a good seed bed can be secured with 
but little difficulty. 


SUPERIOR SILT LOAM. 

ROLLING PHASE. 

Extent and distribution. —This soil covers a total area of ap¬ 
proximately one township, and is the predominating type in the 
town of Greenville. It is also quite extensive in the town of 
Grand Chute, and there are numerous small tracts in the south¬ 
east part of the county. 

Description. —The surface soil to a depth of about eight 
inches consists of a brown to dark brown rather compact silt 
loam containing a moderate amount of organic matter. It is 
practically free from gravel and stones are seldom found upon 
it. The subsoil into which the surface material grades quite 
abruptly consists of the heavy red clay which is characteristic 
of this series. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this soil varies 
from undulating to gently rolling, and in some instances it could 
be classed as rolling. On account of the surface features the 


•For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 23. 



Plate 1 



VIEW SHOWING TYPICAL LEVEL TO GENTLY UNDULATING SUR¬ 
FACE FEATURES OF THE SUPERIOR SOILS. 

Where the soils of this series are heavy the natural drainage is some¬ 
what Deficient. 



VIEW OF SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM, ROLLING PHASE. 

The term “rolling- phase’’ is used where the surface is sufficiently rolling 
to insure fair to good natural drainage. 








GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS . 


21 


natural surface drainage is usually good, although the heavy 
compact subsoil does not permit the water to move freely through 
it. On some of the more gently sloping portions of the type, and 
in depressions between hills lines of tile could be installed to 
good advantage. 

Origin .—This soil has been derived largely from lacustrine 
material which has been influenced to a considerable extent since 
its first deposition by the action of ice. 

While the surface soil is sometimes found to be slightly acid, 
the subsoil usually contains a considerable amount of lime 
carbonate. 

Native vegetation .—The original forest growth consisted 
chiefly of maple, birch, basswood, hickory, with some beech, 
elm, hemlock, and pine. 

Present agricultural development *—This is one of the desir¬ 
able soils of the county, and one upon which agriculture is very 
highly developed. It is a strong productive soil, and well 
adapted to the general farm crops common to this region. Small 
grains and grasses do especially well, and the dairy industry is 
the most important line of farming followed. 

The rotation most commonly followed consists of small grain, 
followed by clover, or clover and timothy, followed by corn. 

This soil is not so difficult to cultivate as is the clay loam, but 
nevertheless, it requires heavy working stock and tools. 

SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—Superior clay loam is found chiefly 
in the towns of Kaukauna, the southeastern part of Freedom, 
Vandenbroek, and Grand Chute. The total area is approxi¬ 
mately one township. 

Description .—The surface of the clay loam to an average 
depth of six inches consists of a light grayish-brown clay loam 
which grades quite abruptly into the heavy compact red clay 
which extends to an undetermined depth. The light-colored 
material over the red clay varies somewhat in depth from one 
or two inches to seven or eight inches. In the heavy clay sub¬ 
soil, especially, in the lower depth, it is not uncommon to find 
thin seams of fine and very fine sand. It is also common to 
find in the soil section a small amount of very fine rock frag¬ 
ments largely of limestone. 


*For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 23. 



SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


99 

Lmd 


The texture of both the soil and subsoil of this type is very 
uniform. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this soil is level 
or only very gently undulating, and the natural drainage is de¬ 
ficient. During the early spring, portions of the type are fre¬ 
quently covered with an inch or so of water. Because of the 
heavy subsoil and the slowness with which water moves through 
it, the type remains wet and cold for some time during the early 
part of each growing season, and the planting of crops is fre¬ 
quently delayed on this account. Practically all of this soil 
could be improved by tile drainage although up to the present 
time but very few have been installed. 

Present agricultural development —Practically all of the 
crops common to the region are grown with success upon this 
soil, but it is better adapted to small grains and grasses than to 
corn. Where drainage has been supplied, corn can be grown 
successfully, and all the other crops are much more certain of 
giving satisfactory yields. Tile drainage permits the soil to 
warm up much earlier in the spring which gives the crops a 
better start. 


SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM, ROLLING PHASE. 

Extent and distribution .—This soil is chiefly found in the 
southeast portion of the county, and is the predominating type 
in the towns of Vandenbroek and Buchanan. Small patches 
are found in the towns of Grand Chute, Greenville, Center, and 
Black Creek. 

Description .—The surface of this soil to a depth of three to 
four inches is a compact silt loam, or silty clay loam, of a brown 
or slightly reddish-brown color. This material grades abruptly 
into a heavy compact pinkish red clay subsoil. This heavy 
material extends to a great depth and some of the road cuts and 
stream channels show it to extend to a depth of forty to fifty 
feet. The surface of the type is practically free from stones 
and only a very small amount of gravel is ever found upon 
it. In the soil section, a very few small limestone fragments 
or concretions are sometimes found. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface varies from undulat¬ 
ing to rolling. In a few instances in Buchanan township the 


♦For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 22. 



GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


23 


surface is quite broken. Because of the uneven character of 
most of this soil the surface drainage is good. The compact 
subsoil, however, does not permit the water to move freely 
within the soil. The only difference between this soil and the 
typical Superior clay loam is the difference in topography. 

Present agricultural development .*■—Practically all of the 
merchantable timber has been removed, and very nearly all of 
the type is now cultivated. This is an excellent soil, well adapted 
to general farming and dairying, and all of the farm crops 
common to the region are successfully grown upon it. A rot - 
tiOn quite commonly practiced consists of small grain one or 
two years, followed by clover or a mixture of clover and timothy 
for one or two years, and then followed by corn. 

About the only fertilizer used is stable manure, but since the 
soil is very heavy and somewhat deficient in organic matter, a 
practice which is good, but not common, is to supplement the 
stable manure by plowing under a green manuring crop about 
once in four or five years, and for this purpose legumes are best. 


CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF SUPERIOR SILT 

LOAM AND SUPERIOR CLAY LOAM. 

These soils are similar in the texture and structure of the 
subsoil section. They differ chiefly in topography and texture 
of the surface soil, as indicated by the type names. The types 
are so closely related that methods for the improvement of one 
will apply to the others. 

The four elements with which the farmer is most concerned 
in his farming operations, and the ones which are the most apt 
to be deficient, are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and lime 
or calcium. He should know the part which each plays in the 
development of the plant, and what are the best methods of 
maintaining an adequate supply in the soil. 

The soil has been leaching for a large number of years, and 
has lost some of the lime carbonate which it contained. Vary¬ 
ing degrees of acidity have developed over the region. The loss 
of lime (calcium carbonate) from the soil is caused by two 
distinct factors, both of which are important. Crops require 
lime in their growth. A five-ton crop of alfalfa requires 185 


24 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


pounds of lime and two tons of red clover requires 61.6 pounds. 
A much larger amount is removed by leaching each year and 
these losses must be made up by the application of lime in order 
to maintain the fertility of this soil. 

Tests show that the subsoil is usually well supplied with lime 
and that the deficiency is confined largely to the surface soils. 

While it will be seen from tests that part of this land shows 
some degrees of acidity it does not mean that all of this land 
is in immediate need of lime. Where such crops as alfalfa, 
sugar beets, tobacco, peas, cabbage and other garden crops are 
grown and where the acidity is medium two tons per acre of 
ground limestone may be used with profit. Where a liberal sup¬ 
ply of manure is available the need for lime will not be so great. 

Where such crops as corn, clover and oats are grown with 
manure applied once during each rotation a smaller amount of 
lime will be needed. On parts of the farm where manure cannot 
be applied the lime can be used with profit on such soils and 
may be actually necessary for economic production. The greater 
need will usually be on the higher places, rather than on the 
lower slopes. 

It has been quite definitely established that the need for lime 
in acid soils runs practically parallel with the need of phos¬ 
phorus. The use of lime alone will not make enough phos¬ 
phorus available, and the use of a phosphate fertilizer will not 
supply the lime requirements of the soil. Either lime alone 
or acid phosphate alone will give increased yields, but neither 
alone will give as great an increase nor as profitable an increase 
as when both are supplied. In the improvement of acid soils, 
therefore, provisions for the use of both lime and a phosphate 
fertilizer should be made. 

Phosphorus exists in all soils in Wisconsin in small amounts. 
Many of the best types in the state contain only 1,200 pounds 
to the acre eight inches deep, and this is in a form which be¬ 
comes available to crops very slowly. Phosphorus is constantly 
being lost from the farm in crops, milk and in the bones of ani¬ 
mals sold. It is well understood that when grain, hay, potatoes 
or other cash crops are sold, this element is removed from the 
farm. This element cannot be supplied from the air and in 


GROUP OF HEAVY SOILS. 


25 


the long run the loss must be made up through additions of 
phosphorus fertilizer in some form. 

The chemical analyses of the Superior silt loam and clay loam 
soils show that their phosphorus content is somewhat lower 
than the average of other silt loams and clay loams in the State, 
while the potassium content is larger. Their content of or¬ 
ganic matter is somewhat below the average of soils of this 
texture. In regard to lime they vary within very wide limits, 
in some sections the soil being acid, while in others they con¬ 
tain as high as ten to twelve per cent of lime carbonate. It 
should be borne in mind that where soils are acid the amount 
of phosphorus which they do contain is not so readily available 
to plants as in soils which are not acid. 

On good uplaid soil where dairying or general farming is 
practiced the use of 300 pounds of 16% acid phosphate or 100 
pounds of 44% superphosphate to the acre every four years 
will maintain the phosphorus supply. If much grain, potatoes 
or other crops are sold, about double these amounts should be 
used. 

On soils relatively low in fertility somewhat more phosphate 
should be used at first. This is especially true of the soils which 
have grown corn or small grain a long time without the use 
of manure or other fertilizer. 

If considerable amounts of bran or cottonseed meal are fed, 
which are relatively high in phosphorus, the supply of this ele¬ 
ment may be maintained. It would usually be necessary to feed 
at least one-half ton of bran or cottonseed meal to each cow 
on a dairy farm per year to maintain the phosphorus supply of 
the soil. Since comparatively few farmers follow this practice, 
some phosphate fertilizer should be used. 

Potassium exists in these soils in large amounts. They often 
contain over 50,000 pounds of this element per acre to a depth 
of eight inches, while they contain only 1-20 as much phosphorus. 
This potassium, however, in the form in which it exists in the 
soil is not readily available to crops and becomes so only as a 
result of chemical changes which are chiefly brought about 
through the action of organic matter. When a good supply of 
active organic matter is maintained the quantity of potassium 
is sufficient to supply growing crops almost indefinitely and it 
is only in the case of fields low in organic matter or where 


26 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


crops using unusually large amounts of available potassium are 
grown that fertilizers containing this element need be used. 

Nitrogen is chiefly responsible for the dark green, healthy 
color and rapid growth of corn or other crops on well manured 
land. It is important to have sufficient amounts in the soil, but 
when in excess it is detrimental to some crops. The quality 
of the grain may be injured by too much nitrogen. When the 
grain lodges the kernels do not fully mature. 

Virgin soils contain large amounts of nitrogen but if they 
are cropped continuously to such crops as corn, oats and tim¬ 
othy without the addition of fertilizer material containing nitro¬ 
gen the nitrogen supply is gradually exhausted and the yields 
are reduced. 

Nitrogen exists in the soil almost entirely in combination with 
organic or vegetable matter. In the light colored soils the vege¬ 
table matter is relatively low and should be increased. The 
accumulation of organic matter high in nitrogen is most readily 
brought about through the growth of legumes such as clover, 
alfalfa or soy beans. These may either be turned under as green 
manuring crops in which case all of the nitrogen collected from 
the atmosphere is returned to the soil and made available to 
succeeding crops, or they may be fed to animals and the manure 
returned to the soil so that a portion at least of the nitrogen 
gathered from the atmosphere is returned to the land to add 
to the supply already there. Whatever system of farming i r 
followed on these soils should include a rotation one member of 
which is a legume. 

Certain crops such as potatoes and vegetables are frequently 
grown by farmers who do not keep much livestock and who do 
not rotate these crops with legumes. In such cases fertilizers 
containing nitrogen and potash, as well as phosphorus may be 
used. Mixed fertilizers are, therefore, manufactured and offered 
for sale. The composition of these fertilizers is indicated by a 
formula. A 2-10-4 fertilizer, for instance, is one containing 2% 
of ammonia, or nearly 2% of nitrogen, 10% of phosphoric acid 
and 4% of potash. 

When nitrogen and potash are needed as well as phosphoric 
acid, there is some advantage in using these mixed fertilizers. 
But when the farmer needs to use only a phosphate fertilizer, 
purchasing a mixed fertilizer means that he is buying not only 


GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS . 


27 


nitrogen and potash which he does not need, but he is com¬ 
pelled to pay a considerably higher price for the phosphate he 
gets than is the case when he buys a fertilizer containing phos¬ 
phate only. Experiments on this soil at Ashland showed a large 
increase through the use of phosphate fertilizer, in addition to 
manure. The following table gives the results of some of these 
experiments. ^ g 


Crop 

Ten tons manure only 

Ten tons manure and 
1,000 lbs. rock 
phosphate 

Percent of increase 

Potatoes_ 

87 bu. per A. 

128 bu. 

47 

Rutabagas- 

108 bu. per A. 

137 bu. 

27 

Com_ 

30.4 bu. per A. 

36.8 bu. 

21 

Clover hay_ 

2,223 pounds 

3»177 pounds 

43 

Clover seed_ 

217.5 pounds 

336.7 pounds 

47 


The importance of having sufficient supplies of this element 
is made still greater by the relatively poor drainage which the 
Superior clay loam has and its consequent tendency to be cold 
so that crops are slow in maturing. The element phosphorus is 
particularly helpful in hastening the maturity of crops and 
the formation of seed. 

Phosphorus may also be supplied as acid phosphate in which 
form it is immediately available to plants. In the form of rock 
phosphate the phosphorus becomes available slowly. 

Where the surface of the heavy soil is level, as is frequently 
the case, the question of drainage is one of importance. Over 
practically all such level areas tile drains could be installed to 
advantage. Thorough drainage will make these soils warm up 
earlier in the spring, insure better tilth and increase yields. 

















28 


SOIL SUBVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


CHAPTER III. 

GROUP OP LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 

SUPERIOR LOAM. 

Extent and distribution. —The Superior loam occupies a total 
area of approximately one township. It is found most exten¬ 
sively in the northern half of T 24 N, R 19 E in the towns of 
Seymour, Osborn, Freedom. 

Description. —The surface soil of this type to a depth of about 
ten inches consists of a dark brown friable loam which contains 
a moderate amount of organic matter. This type is also free 
from stones and contains but very little gravel. The subsoil 
below ten inches grades abruptly into the heavy compact red 
clay which is characteristic of this series. This bed of clay 
extends to an undetermined depth, probably forty to fifty feet 
at least. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this type, as is 
characteristic of this series, is level or only very gently undulat¬ 
ing, and because of the level surface and heavy subsoil the nat¬ 
ural drainage is somewhat deficient. These are associated with 
this soil a large number of areas of soils belonging to the Poygan 
series which occupy poorly drained depressions. 

A large part of the Superior loam would be benefited by tile 
drainage, although up to the present time, but few tile drains 
have been installed. 

Present agricultural development *—Most of this soil has been 
cleared and placed under cultivation, and is now in highly im¬ 
proved farms. About the only exception to this of any note is 
in the northern part of T 24 N, R 19 E where a portion of this 
soil was included in the Indian Reservation. Practically all of 
the general farm crops common to this region are grown upon 
this type. It is a good general farming soil, especially adapted 
to small grains and grasses. The dairy industry has been de¬ 
veloped to a considerable extent upon it. 


♦For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 36. 



GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


29 


SUPERIOR LOAM, ROLLING PHASE. 

Extent and distribution. —This is one of the most important 
and extensive types of soil in Outagamie County. It is confined 
chiefly to the eastern half of the county, and is the predominat¬ 
ing type in the towns of Seymour, Osborn, Freedom, and Center. 
Small tracts of this soil are found in every town of the county 
with the exception of Maine and Deer Creek. 

Description. —The surface soil to an average depth of about 
ten inches consists of a brown mellow loam. It contains only a 
moderate amount of organic matter. The subsoil which extends 
to an undetermined depth consists of the heavy compact red clay 
which is so common in this region. There are very few stones 
on this soil—in fact, it may be said to be stone-free, and it is very 
seldom that gravel is found either on the soil or in the soil 
section. In a few instances, small knolls are found upon the 
surface of which there is a small amount of gravel. 

Topography and drainage. —The surface of this soil ranges 
from undulating to gently rolling and the natural surface drain¬ 
age is, for the most part, good. Where the phase borders typical 
Superior soils and the slope is only moderate, the drainage is 
sometimes slightly deficient. This is also true of some depres¬ 
sions and some of the land along streams. In such places, a 
line of tile could frequently be installed to good advantage. 

Present agricultural development* —This is one of the most 
important and highly improved soils of Outagamie County, and 
many of the finest farms in the region are located upon it. Al¬ 
most every acre is tillable. All of the farm crops common to 
the region are successfully grown, and the yields are somewhat 
higher than on the clay loam soils. This is partly due to the 
fact that the soil can be worked under a somewhat wider range 
of moisture conditions, and can be placed in better tilth at a 
somewhat earlier date in the season. General farming or dairy¬ 
ing are the chief types of farming found. 

The rotation most commonly practiced consists of small grain, 
followed by clover, or clover and timothy, followed by corn. The 
only fertilizer used on this soil to any extent is stable manure. 
In addition to this, the plowing under of a green manuring 
crop is now receiving some attention. Commercial fertilizers 


♦For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 36. 



30 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


are not used to any extent, but tests made elsewhere indicate 
that this soil will respond with profit to the use of phosphate 
fertilizers. 


SUPERIOR FINE SANDY LOAM. 

The surface soil of this type to a depth of from eight to ten 
inches consists of a loose friable loam, or fine sandy loam of a 
dark brown color. It usually becomes somewhat lighter in color 
and coarser in texture to a depth of from twelve to twenty 
inches where the heavy red clay characteristic to this series is 
found. This heavy subsoil frequently contains thin seams of 
fine and very fine sand, and in places it is also common to find 
a very small amount of limestone fragments through it. The 
depth of the heavy subsoil is somewhat variable ranging from 
eight to twenty-four inches. 

This soil is of limited extent, and most of the areas, all of 
which are small, are scattered through the towns of Center, 
Freedom, Kaukauna, Greenville and Grand Chute. 

The surface of this soil is level, with only a very few undula¬ 
tions. The natural drainage is somewhat deficient because of 
the heavy subsoil, but is somewhat better than the drainage of 
the heavier types of this series. Tile drains could be profitably 
installed over a considerable proportion of this type, however. 
The original timber growth consisted largely of maple birch, 
with a small amount of elm, some hemlock, and pine. 

The greater part of this soil has been cleared, and placed 
under cultivation, and the farm crops common to the region 
are being grown successfully upon it. Because of its limited 
extent, there are but few, if any, farms located entirely upon 
this soil. 

In the improvement of Superior fine sandy loam, drainage is 
a factor which must be considered in many cases, but in some 
instances tile drains are not necessary. 

The supplying of additional organic matter should be con¬ 
sidered, however, and the plowing under of a legume crop wil 
greatly assist in this direction.* 


•For chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see page 36. 



Plate II 



SI fOWING SURFA0E 
This is excellent soi 


F 

1 , 


MATURES OF SUPERIOR FINE SANDY ROAM, 
ROLLING PHASE. 

and one cf the extensive types in the county. 





SHOWING SAND BLOWN INTO LOW DUNES BY THE WIND. 

This condition is not extensive in Outagamie Ciunty. This poor sandy 
soil shows a very marked contrast to the highly improved land imme¬ 
diately adjacent to it. 
























GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


31 


SUPERIOR FINE SANDY LOAM. 

ROLLING PHASE. 

Extent and distribution .—This soil is the most widely dis¬ 
tributed type, being found in every town in the county. It is 
most extensively found in the southwestern quarter of the 

"uty, and predominates in the towns of Dale, the western part 
of Hortonia, and Maple Creek. 

Description .—The surface soil to an average depth of eight 
inches is a brown to a rather dark brown mellow fine sandy 
loam. Immediately below this depth the color becomes some¬ 
what lighter, frequently being a pale yellow. At about eighteen 
inches, heavy compact red clay is encountered. This continues 
to a depth which is undetermined, but which is always much 
more than three feet. The chief variation in this soil is in the 
depth of the sandy material over the red clay. This may range 
from eight to about twenty-four inches. There is also some 
variation in the texture of the surface material, there being a 
few places which could be classed as sandy loam, and again 
where it approaches a loam in texture. Such variations are too 
limited to be indicated, however. 

While stones are not common on this soil, a few limestone 
bowlders were found. Wherever they occur in sufficient num¬ 
bers to interfere to any extent with farming operations, appro¬ 
priate symbols have been placed upon the soil map. In the 
soil section and chiefly in the second and third foot below the 
surface, fragments of partially decomposed limestone may some¬ 
times be found. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of this soil ranges 
from undulating to rolling, and the natural drainage is good. 
The drainage is much better on this soil than on the silt and 
clay loam types. 

Present agricultural development .—While there are still a few 
wood lots on this soil, by far the greater part of it has been 
cleared, placed under cultivation, and is now in highly improved 
farms. In fact, where this soil predominates, is found to be 
some of the most highly improved and prosperous farming com¬ 
munities in the county. All of the general crops common to the 
region are grown successfully. Potatoes are also grown more 
commonly on this soil than on the heavier types of the region. 
Alfalfa is also a crop which does well, and which is being grown 


32 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


to a larger extent every year. This soil is adapted to a some¬ 
what wider range of crops than the heavier soils, and is more 
desirable because it can be worked under a wider range of mois¬ 
ture conditions. Its sandy surface permits it to drain out and 
warm up earlier in the season; so crops on this soil will fre¬ 
quently have a week or ten days and sometimes even more ad¬ 
vantage over crops grown on the heavy, and especially, heavy 
and level soils.* 


MIAMI LOAM. 

The surface soil of this type consists of a brown or dark brown 
friable mellow loam extending to a depth of about eight inches. 
The subsoil usually consists of a fine sandy loam carrying a small 
amount of fine gravel. The underlying rock is frequently found 
at a depth of from fifteen to thirty inches, and frequently im¬ 
mediately above the rock there is a layer of heavy somewhat 
reddish material which is probably residual from limestone. This 
soil is quite variable, ranging from a silt loam to a fine sandy 
loam which is inclined in places to be somewhat gravelly. The 
subsoil is also variable, ranging from a sandy loam to a loam or 
even a clay loam. This type is of very limited extent and of 
minor importance. It occupies considerably less than one square 
mile, and probably the most important area is found near the 
center of the town of Freedom. Only a few other scattered 
areas occur in the county. 

The surface is gently rolling, and the natural drainage is 
good. The soil is of glacial origin, and the native timber growth 
is practically the same as on the Superior soils. 

This is an excellent agricultural soil, but because of its lim¬ 
ited extent, but few if any farms are located entirely upon it. 

In its crop producing power and general agricultural value, 
it compares very favorably with the best soils of the Superior 
series.* 


MIAMI FINE SANDY LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—The largest area of this soil is 
found near the center of the county from three to seven miles 


♦F’or data on chemical composition and fertility, see page 36. 



GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


33 


southwest of Black Creek in the towns of Black Creek, Bovina, 
and Ellington. The total area is approximately ten square 
miles. Aside from this rather extensive tract there are numer¬ 
ous other scattered areas of very limited extent. 

Description .—The surface soil of this type to a depth of about 
ten inches consists of a brown to grayish-brown mellow fine sandy 
loam. The subsoil becomes somewhat lighter in color, and 
usually a little coarser in texture with depth. At twenty to 
twenty-four inches it is usually a yellowish fine sand or fine 
sandy loam which may contain considerable fine gravel and lime¬ 
stone particles. 

The surface soil is inclined to be somewhat variable, but in 
most instances it can be classed as a fine sandy loam. In a num¬ 
ber of places there is considerable gravel on the surface and 
where this is the case, symbols have been used to show this con¬ 
dition. Wherever bowlders occur on the surface in sufficient 
numbers to interfere with farm operations, these have also been 
shown by symbols. 

There is also some variation in the subsoil. A material of e 
loam of clay loam texture is sometimes found in the lower depths. 

Topography and drainage .—The surface of this soil ranges 
from undulating to gently rolling, and in a few cases it is some¬ 
what irregular or bumpy. In a few instances, the underlying 
rock occurs rather close to the surface, as for example, directly 
north of Stevensville where there is quite an elevation, the core 
of the hill being made up of limestone. Because of the uneven 
surface features and the rather open subsoil, the natural drain¬ 
age of this soil is good. 

Present agricultural development .—^Practically all of the 
timber has been removed, and most of the type is now in well 
improved farms. This is a soil which is easily cultivated, and 
one which has a fair to good agricultural value. All of the 
general farm crops common to this region are successfully grown 
upon it, and the yields secured compare favorably with those 
obtained upon the Superior fine sandy loam, rolling phase. The 
general farm processes followed, the rotations, methods of agri¬ 
culture, fertilizers, etc., and the lines along which this soil could 
be best improved are practically the same as for the Superior 
fine sandy loam, rolling phase. 

*For data on chemical composition and fertility of this soil, see page 
3fi. 



SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


34 


ANTI GO FINE SANDY LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—This type is closely associated with 
the Antigo loam, but is a little greater in extent. It is confined 
to the northwestern part of the county where it is found in the 
broad flat plains bordering the Embarrass, Wolf, and Shioc 
Rivers. A large area occurs in Deer Creek Township, northeast 
of Bear Creek, and another in Bovina Township north of Sliioc- 
ton. The former is a little lighter in texture than the typical. 

Because of its very limited extent, there has been included 
with the Antigo fine sandy loam a few small areas of Fox fine 
sandy loam. The most important tract is found in section 7 in 
the town of Dale. It differs from the Antigo type chiefly in 
being somewhat coarser in texture, and also in having a some¬ 
what different origin, it having been derived from glaciated lime¬ 
stone material. It may have a slightly higher agricultural value 
than the Antigo since it is seldom acid, while most of the Antigo 
soils are acid. 

Description ..—The surface soil of the Antigo fine sandy loam 
to a depth of from six to eight inches is a brown to dark brown, 
loose, friable very fine sandy loam free from stones and gravel 
and carrying a fair amount of organic matter. 

The subsoil grades very rapidly into a yellowish brown to 
pale yellow very fine sand of undetermined depth. 

Topography and drainage .—The topography of the Antigo 
fine sandy loam is flat to very gently undulating. The surface 
is only a few feet above the usual high water mark of the neigh¬ 
boring streams; so after unusually heavy rains some of this type 
is subject to overflow. Owing to the loose character of the soil 
and the sandy subsoil, the drainage is fairly good. However, 
when the water in the streams is high, the water table of the soil 
is close to the surface. 

Present agricultural development .—*It is a good agricultural 
soil. Over ninety per cent of this type is under cultivation. 
General farming and dairying are the prevailing forms of agri¬ 
culture, although in the vicinity of Shiocton truck farming has 
come into prominence. Of the general farm crops, hay, oats, 
corn, barley, and rye are the most common. Hay does not yield 
quite as well as on the Antigo loam although yields of from iy 2 

♦For data on chemical composition and fertility of this soil, see page 
3 6. 



GEO VP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


35 


to 3 tons per acre per year are not unusual where good prac¬ 
tices are followed. Oats yield a little less than on the Antigo 
loam, average yields being from thirty to fifty bushels per acre. 
A rotation similar to that used on the Antigo loam is practiced 
by the farmers on the type. Potatoes are grown to some extent, 
and yield from 100 to 150 bushels per acre. 

Of the special crops grown, cabbage, sugar beets, and onions 
are by far the most important. Of these cabbage ranks first. 
Where good farm practices are followed, average yields of from 
e ght to twelve tons per acre are obtained. Sugar beets yield 
from six to twelve tons per acre, and onions from 150 to 350 
bushels per acre. 

The Antigo fine sandy loam is very easy to cultivate, and ex¬ 
cept under very unfavorable moisture conditions no difficulty is 
experienced in the preparation of a good seed bed. 

ANTIGO LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—The Antigo loam is closely associ¬ 
ated with the Antigo fine sandy loam, although it is of smaller 
extent. It is confined to the northwestern part of the county, 
where it is found in the broad flat plains bordering the Em¬ 
barrass, Wolf, and Shioc Rivers. The largest areas occur in 
Deer Creek and Maple Creek Townships. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Antigo loam for about 
eight to ten inches is a dark brown friable loam free from stones 
and gravel, and carrying a large percentage of very fine sand 
with considerable organic matter. The subsoil grades rapidly 
into a yellowish-brown very fine sand which becomes a pale yel¬ 
low at about twenty-four inches. This continues to below four 
feet. 

In places the soil becomes nearly a silt loam, and where this 
is the case, the sandy subsoil is not encountered until about 
twenty-four inches. A small area of the heavier phase is lo¬ 
cated just southwest of Helena, and another southeast of Bear 
Creek in Deer Creek Township. 

Topography and drainage .—In topography the Antigo loam is 
fiat, to very gently undulating. The surface is only a few feet 
above the usual high water mark of the neighboring streams; so 
after unusually heavy rains, portions of this type are inundated. 

Owing to the sandy character of the subsoil the drainage is 


36 


SOIL SUEVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


usually fairly good, except when the rivers are high. At these 
times the water table is close to the surface. 

Present agricultural development .—Practically all of this type 
is under cultivation. General farming and dairying are the pre¬ 
vailing forms of agriculture. The soil is well adapted to hay 
and oats, while all of the general farm crops common to the 
region do fairly well. It is not as well adapted to potatoes r 
is the Antigo fine sandy loam. Corn does not do well after 
wet spring as the ground remains cold until late in the season, 
and the high water table retards the development of the root 
system. 

Of the special crops, .cabbage and sugar beets are yielding the 
growers satisfactory returns. Cabbage yields from eight to fif¬ 
teen tons and sugar beets six to twelve tons an acre. 

Where good methods of farming are being followed the pro¬ 
ductivity of the soil is gradually being increased, but where 
careless methods are practiced, the yields are gradually declin¬ 
ing. Spring wheat was formerly grown with good success, but 
the yields became poorer and poorer until the crop was finally 
abandoned over most of the area. Good farmers practice a ro¬ 
tation consisting of corn, followed by a small grain, such as 
oats, or barley, and then seeding with clover and timothy. Hay 
is cut for one or two years, and is usually pastured a year, after 
which it is manured and then plowed for corn. 

The Antigo loam is comparatively easy to cultivate and when 
worked under favorable moisture conditions, no difficulty is ex¬ 
perienced in securing a good seed bed. It is usually best to fall 
plow, for if the spring is wet, some difficulty may be experienced 
in getting the crop sown on time. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY 

LOAMS. 

These soils are only a little more open in texture than the silt 
and clay loam types. They have a good water-holding capacity 
and will support very good pasture, but the somewhat higher 
percentage of fine sand which they contain reduces the water 
content of the surface somewhat so that they warm up more 
readily in the spring and have less tendency to bake and crack 
than the heavier soils. These qualities make them better adapted 
to such crops as corn and potatoes than are the heavier soils. 


GEOUF OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 


37 


ihe total amount of the plant food elements, phosphorus and 
potassium, is nearly if not quite as large in the fine sandy loams 
as in the silt loams. However, they have rather less organic 
matter, and this, together with the somewhat coarser texture, 
results in a slower rate of chemical change by which the inert 
plant food of the soil becomes available to crops. For this rea¬ 
son the increase in the supply of active or fresh organic matter 
and the use of available plant food either in the form of stable 
manure or of commercial fertilizers becomes more important and 
especially when crops such as potatoes which are sold from the 
farm, and of which heavy yields must be grown to be profitable, 
are produced. 

The increase in the supply of active organic matter is of the 
utmost importance. A high degree of fertility cannot be main¬ 
tained in these soils unless about twice as large an amount of 
organic matter is developed in them as that which they originally 
have. The plowing under of legumes, such as a second crop of 
clover or a crop of soybeans, is the best method of producing 
this result. The application of phosphorus and potassium fer¬ 
tilizers can best be made for these crops, since it secures a much 
larger growth of these crops themselves and becomes available 
through their decomposition to the following crops of corn or 
potatoes. 

The degree of acidity in the Antigo soils is seldom more than 
‘‘slight’ 7 in the new soil, but increases as the land is cropped 
from year to year. This acidity does not affect the growth of 
all crops directly, but makes it more difficult to maintain a good 
degree of fertility. This is true because it is a condition un¬ 
favorable to the continued growth of the best legumes—clover 
and alfalfa. The slight degree of acidity does not interfere with 
the growth of clover while the soil is comparatively new, but 
does reduce the yields as the fertility is reduced by further crop¬ 
ping and even in the virgin condition acidity interferes with the 
growth of alfalfa. It is also a condition unfavorable to the 
maintenance of a good supply of readily available phosphorus 
in the soil. These objections are probably not sufficient to make 
necessary the use of lime to correct the acidity on all of the 
land under cultivation for a number of years, but does make 
it desirable that farmers wishing to grow alfalfa should lime 
as well as inoculate the soil for this crop, and also to watch the 
growth of clover carefully from year to year, so as to begin the 


38 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


use of lime on the fields as they are sown to clover as soon as it 
becomes difficult to secure a good stand. 

The Superior and Miami soils of this group have been derived 
from materials which contain varying amounts of lime carbon¬ 
ate. The subsoils are usually well supplied with lime, but the 
surface soils frequently show varying degrees of acidity, due 
partly to the long period of leaching to which they have been 
subjected. The degree of acidity is seldom as great as on the 
Antigo soils, however. 

These types of soils are well adapted to general farming and 
some special crops such as potatoes can also be grown to good 
advantage. These soils which are of intermediate texture are 
better adapted to potato culture than are the heavier types on 
the one hand or the light sandy soils on. the other. It is neces¬ 
sary to give these soils somewhat more attention to maintain 
their fertility than the heavier types partly because they are 
lower in fertility, but more because of the fact that these special 
crops require a higher degree of fertility to produce satisfactory 
yields. When these soils are used for special crops the fertility 
can best be maintained by rather heav} r applications of stable 
manure, or through the use of a rotation in which a legume is 
grown as the means of securing the organic matter and nitrogen, 
while the other elements chiefly phosphorus and potassium, are 
supplied in the form of commercial fertilizers. When the latter 
system is used one-third or one-fourth of the land should be 
sown to a legume and a part of the commercial fertilizer used 
on this crop. The fertility used in this way would become 
available to succeeding crops through the decomposition of the 
legume when plowed under. The remainder of the fertilizer 
would be applied at the time of fitting the soil for the succeeding 
crops. 


GROUP OF FIXE SANDY SOILS. 


39 



CHAPTER TV. 

GROUP OP PINE SANDY SOILS. 

COLOMA FINE SAND. 

Extent and distribution .—This type is comparatively small in 
extent, and of minor importance from an agricultural stand¬ 
point. It is mainly confined to the northwestern part of the 
county, the chief areas occurring in the vicinity of Hortonville 
and Stephensville. Other small isolated areas are found scat¬ 
tered throughout the county, usually occurring as small hilltops 
or ridges. 

Description .—The surface soil of the Coloma fine sand to a 
depth of from eight to twelve inches is a grayish brown loose, 
open fine sand, containing but little organic matter. The sub¬ 
soil is a loose fine sand continuing to over three feet, and grading 
from a light brown to a yellowish brown or pale yellow in the 
lower depths. Gravel beds covered by a thin mantle of surface 
soil are often found throughout the type. 

The organic matter content varies over different sections of 
the type, being higher in the depressions where the moisture con T 
ditions have favored an accumulation of humus-forming mate¬ 
rial. Dunes formed by wind blown sand are occasionally found. 

There are several variations which have been included with 
this soil, but which, had they been of any important extent, 
would have been mapped as separate types. In the northwest¬ 
ern part of the county, chiefly in the town of Maine, there are 
numerous small tracts of light-colored soil which has a very fine 
sandy texture. It is loose and open in structure, and usually 
entirely free from stones and gravel. The subsoil is a yellowish 
brown or vellow verv fine sand which extends to an undetermined 
depth. This material differs from the typical Coloma fine sand 
only in being finer in texture. Because of this finer texture, it 
probably has a somewhat higher agricultural value, although 
this is not apparent from the crop yields which are now being 
secured. 


40 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY . 


Another variation occurs in the town of Liberty in sections 13 
and 14, and also in a number of other localities, but always in 
small patches. This soil is the same as the Coloma fine sand to 
a depth of 24 to 36 inches where it is underlain by the red clay 
typical of the Superior series. Because of this underlying clay, 
this phase is a better soil than the typical, and would have been 
mapped as the Superior fine sand or fine sandy loam, rolling 
phase, had it been of sufficient extent. 

Topography and drainage .—The topography of this type 
ranges from undulating to hilly. On account of its loose, open 
structure, the natural drainage is somewhat excessive, and the 
type is very liable to sutler from drought except during seasons 
of excessive rainfall. 

Present agricultural development .—*Over seventy-five per 
cent of the Coloma fine sand is under cultivation to the general 
farm crops common to this region. Corn gives an average yield 
of about twenty bushels, oats fifteen to twenty bushels, rye 
twelve bushels, timothy and clover three-fourths to one ton, and 
potatoes from fifty to one hundred bushels an acre. By careful 
cultivation, rotation, and fertilization, these yields have been 
more than doubled by some farmers. 

Over most of this type but little attention is given to the se¬ 
lection of a rotation particularly adapted to this soil. The 
methods of cultivation are similar to those followed on other 
sandj" types of the county. The soil is loose and open, and is 
very easity cultivated. 

It may be said of this type as a whole that the methods now 
followed upon it are not such as tend to increase its productiv¬ 
ity, although there are exceptions where more up-to-date meth¬ 
ods are being practiced. 

COLOMA FINE SANDY LOAM. 

The surface soil of this type to an average depth of eight to 
ten inches consists of a light brown to grayish brown fine sandy 
loam, which rests upon a subsoil of about the same texture, but 
having a somewhat lighter color. In the lower depths, the ma¬ 
terial is usually a fine yellow sand, with which varying amounts 
of fine gravel may be found. The material is quite uniform in 
texture, and is stone free. 


♦For chemical composition and fertility of this soil see page 42. 



GROUP OF FINE SANDY SOILS. 


41 


The type is of limited extent and of minor importance. It 
occurs in small scattered tracts, the most important of which are 
found in Grand Chute and Maine Townships. 

The surface is undulating to gently rolling and because of the 
sandy nature of the material the natural drainage is good and 
frequently excessive. 

The original timber growth was mixed pine and hardwood, 
with hardwoods predominating. Practically all of the original 
timber has been removed. 

This is a soil of only medium to fair agricultural value. It is 
deficient in organic matter and mineral plant foods, but its tex¬ 
ture is such that by growing green manuring crops, following 
good crop rotations, and using proper fertilizers it can be built 
up into a profitably producing soil. Small grain, clover, and 
potatoes are a good rotation for this kind of land, with the second 
crop of clover plowed down. Liming will help in getting clover 
started and commercial fertilizers can also be used with profit. 
A 2-10-4 will give good results. From 150 to 200 pounds per 
acre should be applied to corn or small grain crops. Potatoes 
should have larger applications. 

This soil has been included with the group of fine sands be¬ 
cause in its agricultural value it more nearly approaches these 
soils than the group of loams and fine sandy loams, which usually 
have heavy subsoils. 

PLAINFIELD FINE SAND. 

The surface soil of this type to an average depth of eight 
inches consists of a loose, grayish-brown, very fine sand which 
contains but little organic matter. It is entirely free from 
gravel and stones. Below eight inches the material becomes 
lighter in color, usually being a pale yellow or yellowish-brown. 
The texture continues a very fine sand to undetermined depth. 

This, soil is of very limited extent, but is found in a number of 
small tracts in several regions, chiefly in Maine, Deer Creek, and 
Bovina Townships. 

The surface is level or only gently undulating with some minor 
irregularities caused by wind action. In many places the water- 
table is not far below the surface, so that during part of the 
year the drainage is none too good. When the streams are low, 
the loose, open character of the material permits the free move¬ 
ment of water through the soil, and the type often suffers from 
lack of moisture during the dry portion of the summer. 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


42 


This soil is of minor importance because of its limited extent 
and also because of its rather low value from the standpoint of 
crop production. While part of it is under cultivation, the yields 
are low. It is low in organic matter, and the mineral plant food 
elements. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF FINE SANDS 

These soils have intermediate texture and hence have moderate 
water-holding capacity. They are not fine enough to be especial¬ 
ly well adapted to grasses for pasture, though a fair quality of 
pasturage can be secured on the heavier phases of these soils. 
The more deeply rooted crops, such as clover, rye, corn, and 
potatoes, find sufficient moisture during average seasons and 
suffer from drought only during periods of relatively low rain¬ 
fall. 

In chemical composition these soils are also of an intermediate 
character. The total phosphorus averages from 850 to 900 
pounds. The total potassium of the surface eight inches per 
acre is approximately 25,000 pounds or but little over one-half 
of that found in heavier soils such as the Superior silt loam. 
The organic matter of these soils is also comparatively low, aver¬ 
aging from 2.5 to 3.0 per cent in the surface eight inches and 
from one to two per cent in the second eight inches. They have 
a correspondingly low nitrogen content averaging from 1,000 to 
1,500 pounds in the surface eight inches. This organic matter 
is largely in the form of leaf-mold and fine roots, and it decom¬ 
poses quickly when the surface is first broken, furnishing a lim¬ 
ited supply of nitrogen for a growth of crops. However, it is 
exhausted with comparative readiness and the most important 
point in the management of all of these soils is to follow methods 
which will maintain and increase the organic matter. In the 
virgin condition these soils are but slightly acid as a rule, but 
with continued cropping the acidity increases, and for the best 
growth of clover and especially alfalfa liming is essential. This 
use of lime not only makes the soil more suitable for the growth 
of alfalfa and clover, but assists in preventing the leaching of 
phosphorus and maintaining it in a form which is available for 
growing crops. 

The management of these soils to maintain the fertility will 
depend to a considerable extent on the crops grown, and on 
whether or not stock is maintained to which the produce of the 
farm is fed. When dairying or other live stock farming is prac- 


GROUP OF FINE SANDY SOILS. 


43 


ticed it will be less difficult to maintain the supply of the essen¬ 
tial elements of plant food—phosphorus, potassium, and nitro¬ 
gen. But even when stock is maintained it is very probable 
that the moderate use of some form of phosphorus fertilizers 
will be found profitable, and some means for increasing the or¬ 
ganic matter in addition to the use of stable manure should be 
made use of as far as practicable. The growth of a crop of 
soybeans or clover, occasionally, all of which is to be plowed 
under as a green manuring crop, will be found very profitable 
in its effect on the succeeding crop of corn or grain. 

When these soils are used for the growing of potatoes or other 
special crops to a considerable extent the use of commercial fer¬ 
tilizers containing phosphorus and potassium will be found nec¬ 
essary to maintain the soil productivity. Clover or some other 
legume must be grown regularly in the rotation to maintain the 
nitrogen and organic matter, and part or all of this should be 
plowed under. It is often desirable to use the commercial fertil¬ 
izers containing phosphorus and potassium in order to secure a 
good growth of this clover, and there is little loss in so doing, 
since essentially all of the phosphorus and potassium applied 
to the soil for the clover becomes available to the succeeding 
crop through the decomposition of the organic matter. 

The use of lime in some form and also the inoculation of the 
soil is of the utmost importance when alfalfa is to be grown, and 
will be found helpful on the older fields even for the growth of 
medium red or mammoth clover. 

While the use of commercial fertilizers containing phosphorus 
and potassium is desirable in the management of these soils, it 
must not be considered that this is an indication that they have 
less value than heavier soils which are relatively higher in these 
elements, for the growth of potatoes and other special crops. 
The fact that these soils become dry and warm early in the sea¬ 
son makes them less subject to local frosts and the finer tilth 
which these fine sands develop fit them especially well for the 
growth of potatoes and some other root crops, since they are 
practically free from checking and cracking. The cost of these 
fertilizers is a comparatively small part of the total cost of 
^rowing these crops. For further suggestions on the manage- 
ment of these soils and for information regarding source and 
use of fertilizers consult Bulletins 204, 230 and 341 of the Ex¬ 
periment Station. 


44 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


CHAPTER Y. 

GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 

POYGAN CLAY LOAM. 

This type is of very small extent. Small areas are found near 
the center and southeastern parts of the county, the largest of 
these occurring north of Stephensville in Ellington Township. 
It is closely associated with the Superior clay loam and silt 
loam, and occupies depressions and low, gently sloping areas 
bordering streams. 

The surface soil of the Poygan clay loam to a depth of from 
eight to fifteen inches is a dark brown to black, sticky compact 
clay loam, rich in organic matter. The subsoil becomes lighter 
in color for a few inches before grading into pinkish-red clay at 
from fifteen to twenty inches. This clay is very compact and 
tenacious and extends to an undetermined depth. 

In topography the Poygan clay loam is flat to gently sloping. 
The surface is low which coupled with the impervious character 
of the subsoil makes the natural drainage very poor. 

Less than half of this type is under cultivation. The greater 
part of it is badly in need of drainage, and in its present con¬ 
dition is valuable only as pasture and for the marsh hay which 
may be cut. Where the type has been properly drained, it has 
a high agricultural value. It is especially adapted to hay and 
small grains, while corn and other crops common to the region 
do well. It is rather heavy for potatoes, but cabbage and sugar 
beets are grown with fair success. 

POYGAN SILT LOAM. 

No areas of Poygan silt loam of any great extent are found, 
although small patches of the type occur scattered throughout 
practically every township in the county. It is closely associ- 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


45 


ated with the soils of the Superior series, and occupies depres¬ 
sions and flat areas bordering streams and marshes. 

The surface soil of the Poygan silt loam to a depth of from 
eight to ten inches is a dark brown to black sticky, compact silt 
loam, rich in organic matter. The subsoil becomes lighter in 
color for a few inches before grading into the heavy tenacious 
red clay subsoil at from twelve to fifteen inches. 

In places the red color of the subsoil may entirely disappear, 
but the texture and other characteristics remain the same. The 
blue clay subsoil areas are too small to be mapped out separately. 

In topography the type is flat to gently sloping. The surface 
is low, and the subsoil is quite impervious to water which makes 
the natural drainage very poor. 

The original forest growth consisted principally of black ash, 
elm, maple, with some oak, hickory, poplar, birch, alders, etc. 
In most places the valuable timber has been removed. 

Very little of this type is under cultivation. The greater part 
of it is badly in need of drainage; so in its present condition, it 
is valuable chiefly as pasture land. Where the type has been 
properly drained, it has a high agricultural value. It is not 
well adapted to potatoes, but other crops common to the region 
and small grains, grasses, cabbage, sugar beets, etc., do well.* 


POYGAN FINE SANDY LOAM. 

This type is of very small extent. It is usually associated 
with the Poygan silt loam, or the Superior fine sandy loam. 
Small isolated areas are found scattered throughout the county 
where it occupies depressions and gentle slopes bordering 
streams or marshes. 

The surface soil of the Poygan fine sandy loam to a depth of 
about seven inches is a dark brown to black, friable mellow, fine 
sandy loam, carrying a relatively high per cent of organic mat¬ 
ter. The subsoil for three or four inches usually is a fine sand, 
to very light fine sandy loam, which then grades into a pinkish- 
red clay loam to clay. 

The topography of the type is flat to gently sloping. The 
surface is low and the natural drainage is poor. 

♦ For data on chemical composition and improvement of this soil, see 
page 4 6. 





SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


46 


The timber growth consisted of ash, elm, maple, with some 
oak, hickory, birch, willow, poplar, alders, etc. The best timber 
has been removed. But very little of this type is under culti¬ 
vation. When well drained, it yields fair results when the crops 
common to the region are grown. It is an easier soil to handle 
than the Poygan silt loam and clay loam, but the yields, especial¬ 
ly of grains and hay, are not as large. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF POYGAN CLAY LOAM, SILT 

LOAM, AND FINE SANDY LOAM. 

These soils have relatively large amounts of organic matter 
accumulated as a result of poor drainage. The supply of phos¬ 
phorus is usually fairly high, but in some cases it is not readily 
available. Its availability will depend largely upon the rate of 
decomposition of the organic matter. The total amount of po¬ 
tassium is fair in the fine sandy loam, and large in the silt loam 
and clay loam, but the chief question here also is regarding its 
availability. 

While soils well supplied with vegetable matter as these are 
do not need special treatment with reference to potassium and 
phosphorus immediately after reclamation, they very generally 
do show a need of care in this regard within a few years, and 
patches of these types frequently fail to produce satisfactory 
crops even immediately after drainage and breaking unless stable 
manure or special mineral fertilizers are used. 

In the improvement of these types the first step is, of course, 
drainage. Both open ditches and tile drains can be installed to 
advantage. Plowing fields in narrow lands with dead furrows 
two to four rods apart, and having these lead into shallow open 
ditches along the side of the field, will greatly assist in carrying 
off surface water. In order to make the internal drainage of 
the soil complete, however, tile drains should be used to supple¬ 
ment the surface ditches. 

With thorough drainage these soils will be adapted to a wide 
range of general crops. Special crops such as cabbage and sugar 
beets are well suited to these lands when drained. 

WHITMAN LOAM. 

Extent and distribution .—This type is of small extent, occu¬ 
pying less than ten square miles in the county. The two largest 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


47 


areas occur in Bovina township, one west and the other north¬ 
east of Shiocton. Other small, isolated areas are found scat¬ 
tered about in the northwestern part of the county. 

Description. —The surface soil of the Whitman loam to a depth 
of about seven inches is a dark brown to black, mellow, friable 
loam rich in organic matter. It carries considerable silt, and 
sometimes considerable very fine sand. It is free from stones 
and gravel. The subsoil rapidly becomes lighter in color and 
coarser in texture, until at about fifteen inches it is a yellowish 
brown to pale yellow very fine sand. This continues to well 
over three feet. 

In places the subsoil will carry a little sandy clay which is a 
mottled drab, yellow and brown color, but such areas are very 

small. 

Topography and drainage. —The topography is level, which 

» 

with the low position of the type, makes the. natural drainage 
poor. The water table is usually within a few feet of the surface 
and during the spring the soil is almost completely saturated. 
At times, portions of the type are several inches under water. 
In places open ditches have been constructed. 

Present agricultural development. —Where properly drained, 
the general farm crops common to the region are grown and ex¬ 
cellent yields obtained. About half of the type is under culti¬ 
vation. Of the special crops, cabbage, beets, and onions do well, 
and some celery has been successfully grown. The chief require¬ 
ment of the land is good drainage. The undeveloped portion of 
the type is valuable only for the pasture it affords, and the 
marsh hay which may be cut. 

Chemical composition and fertility. —The Whitman loam is 
quite similar to the Clyde loam of southeastern Wisconsin, dif¬ 
fering chiefly by being acid, while the Clyde soils are not acid. 
It also carries a larger proportion of very fine sand than does 
the Clyde loam. From the standpoint of the plant food ele¬ 
ments which it contains, this may be considered a well-balanced 
soil. 

The Whitman loam contains from three to five times as much 
nitrogen and organic matter as does the average light-colored 
upland soil of this region. It contains from 1,500 to 2,000 
pounds of phosphorus in the surface eight inches an acre, and 
from 40,000 to 45,000 pounds of potassium. 


48 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


In the improvement of this type the first step is to supply 
adequate drainage. Open ditches will not be sufficient by them¬ 
selves, and should be supplemented by the use of tile drains. 
When well drained, this will become one of the strongest and 
most productive soils in Outagamie County. Because of the low 
position of some of this type, its improvement would at present 
require diking, which, under present conditions, would not be 
justified. 


DUNNING FINE SANDY LOAM. . 

The surface soil of the Dunning fine sandy loam to a depth 
of from four to seven inches is a dark brown to black, loose, 
friable, very fine sandy loam, free from stones and gravel, and 
carrying a high percentage of organic matter. The subsoil 
grades abruptly into a pale yellow very fine sand, which con¬ 
tinues to well over three feet. 

This type is of small extent and of minor importance. It oc¬ 
curs only in small isolated areas scattered throughout the north¬ 
western part of the county. The main areas occur in the eastern 
half of Maine Township. 

The topography is level, which with the low position of the 
type makes the natural drainage poor. The water table lies 
close to the surface, and for portions of the year parts of the 
type may be covered with a few inches of water. 

The timber growth consists mainly of alders, quaking aspen, 
birch, and some maple, elm, and black ash. Practically all of 
the good timber has been removed, but a dense second growth 
covers most of the area. Very little of this type is under culti¬ 
vation. The principal crops are oats, timothy hay, and marsh 
grass. On small areas which have been properly drained, cab¬ 
bage and onions are being grown successfully. 

Chemical composition and fertility .—The Dunning fine sandy 
loam is well supplied with nitrogen and organic matter in the 
surface soil, but it is usually deficient in the mineral plant foods, 
phosphorus and potassium. The greatest deficiency is drainage, 
however, and before cultivated crops can be grown successfully, 
a thorough system of drains must be provided. Open ditches as 
now installed in some places are not sufficient in themselves, and 
must be supplemented either by open laterals or tile drains. 
When drainage has been provided, it will be found that the 



GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


49 


most economical and profitable crop production can be secured 
by the use of mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and 
potash. Such crops as alsike clover and timothy, buckwheat, 
and corn may be expected to give good results on this kind of 
land under good management. Corn may not always mature 
because of the danger from frosts on the low land, but one is 
reasonably certain of always securing good silage. 

CLYDE SILT LOAM. 

The surface soil of this type to a depth of about eight inches 
consists of a black friable silt loam which contains a very large 
amount of organic matter. The subsoil begins as a dark-colored 
silt loam to about twelve or fourteen inches, when it becomes 
somewhat lighter in color, frequently being of a grayish or blue 
tinge and also being lighter in texture. The subsoil is quite 
variable, but is most often sandy loam below eighteen inches. 
In a few instances it was found to be a very fine sand which 
was mottled in color. 

There are some variations, but the most important one is where 
the surface is really a clay loam, and the subsoil a heavy bluish 
silty clay loam with lenses of sand in the lower subsoil. This 
phase could justly be classed as Clyde clay loam, except that its 
very limited extent makes it of little importance. This type is 
of limited extent and of minor importance. It is confined to 
the eastern and southern parts of the county, and occurs in a 
number of widely separated areas. One of these, and perhaps 
the largest, occurs in Section 15 in the town of Osborn. Other 
areas are found in Sections 22, 23, and 24, in the town of Elling¬ 
ton, and in Section 6 in the town of Center. Several other small 
tracts occur in the town of Dale. The surface of this soil is level 
or having only a very gentle slope. Because of its low position 
and level surface, the natural drainage is very poor, and before 
it can be used for cultivated crops drainage is necessary. 

But very little of this land has been cleared and placed under 
cultivation, owing to the fact that its drainage is very deficient. 
The best timber has been removed, and some of this land is now 
being used as pasture land. Where it is possible to drain this 
soil, it can be made very excellent land. 

In the improvement of this soil, drainage is the first consider¬ 
ation. From the standpoint of the amount of plant food which 


50 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


it contains, it is a well-balanced soil, and when drained will be 
adapted to a wide range of crop production. Sugar beets and 
cabbage are special crops which do well on this soil. 

CLYDE FINE SANDY LOAM. 

The surface of this soil consists of a dark brown or nearly 
black fine sandy loam to a depth of about eight inches. The 
subsoil is a hue sand, or fine sandy loam, extending to a depth 
of over two feet. In color the subsoil is a little lighter than the 
surface and may consist of a gray or yellowish, or sometimes 
mottle material. 

This type is of limited extent, occupying less than two square 
miles. It is found in small scattered areas chiefly in the towns 
of Bovina, Osborn, and Ellington. The surface is low and level, 
and the natural drainage is very poor. This soil has the same 
origin as the Clyde silt loam, and supported practically the 
same original timber growth. 

There is but very little of this soil improved at present be¬ 
cause of its poor drainage, and before it can be used for culti¬ 
vated crops drainage is necessary. 


GENESEE SILT LOAM. 

The surface soil of the Genesee silt loam consists of about eight 
inches of brown, friable, silt loam, which at times carries a con¬ 
siderable quantity of very fine sand, and is usually comparatively 
high in organic matter. 

The subsoil is a light brown loam to silt loam, which usually 
becomes lighter in color with increase in depth until at twenty- 
four inches it is a pale yellow to yellowish brown. 

The type is subject to considerable variation in texture and 
depth. The subsoil is sometimes sticky, although it often car¬ 
ries large quantities of fine sand, and may grade entirely into 
fine sand at from two to three feet. Small areas of shallow peat 
and fine sand are encountered, although none of these variations 
are large enough to be indicated on the soil map. 

This type is confined chiefly to the valleys of the Embarrass, 
Wolf, and Sliioc Rivers, although it is found to some extent 
along practically all of the streams in the northern and western 
parts of the county. 


GROUP OF POORLY BRAINED SOILS. 


51 


The topography is level except where old stream channels cut 
across the type in numerous places. The surface is low, sub¬ 
ject to annual overflow, and is usually wet during the spring 
and early summer months. During dry spells when the streams 
are low, the soil is fairly well drained. 

The material forming this soil is of alluvial origin, derived 
from sandstone and granitic rock debris. 

The forest growth consisted chiefly of swamp oak, elm, bass¬ 
wood, maple, and ash with some willow. The best of the timber 
has been removed, although there is still a good stand of trees 
over most of the area, and in places a dense undergrowth includ¬ 
ing alders is encountered. 

All of this type is subject to overflow. For this reason, little 
attempt at improvement has been made. Aside from the marsh 
hay which can be cut from a portion of the type and the pas¬ 
ture which it affords, it has but little present agricultural value. 

If protected from overflow, this type would have a high agri¬ 
cultural value. A proposed canal, designed to carry the excess 
water from the Wolf River, across the northern part of the 
county into Duck Creek, if brought into successful operation 
would solve to a large degree, the difficulty which has been en¬ 
countered in the improvement of this type. 

GENESEE FINE SANDY LOAM. 

The surface soil of the Genesee fine sandy loam consists of 
about eight inches of brown, friable, very fine sandy loam. The 
subsoil is a little darker in color, but the texture usually remains 
the same to below three feet. In places very fine sand is encoun¬ 
tered at from eighteen to twenty-four inches. 

Small areas of fine sand and shallow peat are encountered, 
although none of these variations are large enough to be indi- 
cated on the soil map. 

This type is confined chiefly to the valley of the Wolf River, 
where it occupies low flats bordering the stream. The surface 
is low, subject to annual overflow, and is usually wet during the 
spring and early summer months. During dry spells when the 
stream is low, the soil is well drained. 

The best of the timber has been removed, but there still re¬ 
mains a good stand of trees, and in many places dense under¬ 
growths are encountered. As all of this type is subject to over- 


52 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


flow, little attempt at improvement has been made. Aside from 
the marsh hay which may be cut from a portion of the type, and 
the pasture which it affords, it has a very low agricultural value. 
In all respects it is very similar to the Genesee silt loam, except 
that the latter is higher in organic matter, and has a finer texture. 

The drainage of this type under present conditions would be 
very difficult in most cases, and it is probable that it will not 
be improved for a long time, except for a few patches of the type 
which are more favorably located than the average. With good 
drainage, it will make a productive soil, adapted to a wide range 
in crop production. 


PEAT. 

The material mapped as Peat consists of vegetable matter in 
various stages of decomposition. Much of the material is still 
in a very raw fibrous condition, showing quite plainly the struc¬ 
ture of the vegetable growth from which it is derived. In a 
fibrous condition the material is brown, but with decomposition 
its color becomes darker, and where thoroughly decayed it is 
black or very dark brown. Mineral matter may be incorporated 
with the organic matter, but seldom in sufficient quantities to 
appreciably offset the texture. In the more extensive areas of 
Peat there is little or no mineral matter except about the mar¬ 
gins, where the proportion is frequently sufficient to form muck. 
The mucky areas are too small to be satisfactorily separated, 
however, and are included with the Peat. 

The depth of Peat is variable. The areas in which it is less 
than eighteen inches are separated as a shallow phase. In some 
places the organic deposits are more than ten feet deep and in 
practically all the swamps with an area of one square mile or 
more, the depth is more than three feet. It is generally deepest 
in the center of the areas, and shallowest about the margins. 

In large swamps and marshes where the material is still raw, 
there is very little difference in character between the surface 
material and the material several feet below the surface. Where 
conditions have favored rapid decomposition the material at the 
surface is frequently darker than that at lower depths, but where 
the accumulation of vegetable matter on the surface has been 
rapid, the lower depths are more decomposed and darker in 
color. A profile section may consist of eight to sixteen inches 


GROUP OF POORLY BRAINED SOILS. 


53 


of slightly decomposed to well decomposed brown to dark brown 
vegetable matter, underlain by similar material which may be 
more decomposed, or may be in a very raw condition. 

The material underlying the peaty matter is variable, and 
ranges from sand to silt loam or clay loam. In general, its tex¬ 
ture is determined largely by that of the surrounding upland 
soil. In the regions of silt loam soils the underlying material 
is usually heavy and of a grayish to dark brown color. Through¬ 
out the sandy sections in most cases the peaty material is under¬ 
lain by grayish to nearly white sand to very fine sand. 

In places small islands of Muck, sand, or other soils have been 
included with the Peat. Such areas were too small and unim¬ 
portant to be separated. 

Areas of Peat are distributed through all parts of the county, 
but are most extensive in the northwestern part. The largest 
areas occur in the townships of Black Creek, Bovina, Liberty, 
and Hortonia. 

Practically all the Peat areas are level, or have only a very 
gentle slope. The slope is nowhere sufficient to drain the ma¬ 
terial without the use of open ditches. Most of the areas cf 
Peat are wet the greater part of the year, and theic are often a 
few inches of water over the surface in the spring when heavy 
rains occur. 

Most of the marshes in which Peat occurs have sufficient slope 
to be successfully drained. In a few instances drainage districts 
have been organized, and rather extensive drainage projects arc 
being developed. However, at present very little of the Peat is 
under cultivation, and its agricultural value in its present state 
is low. 

The native trees of the Peat consisted chiefly of tamarack and 
cedar. Some of the marshes do not support any trees or have 
only scattered growths of tamarack, cedar, ash, etc. In most of 
these places the original timber has been destroyed by fire, though 
a few marshes apparently have always been treeless. On some 
of the open marshes there is a coarse grass which is cut for hay, 
but in most cases the vegetation consists of moss, blueberry 
bushes, and other moisture-loving plants. 


54 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


PEAT, SHALLOW PHASE. % 

Peat, shallow phase, is differentiated from the typical peat, 
solely on the basis of the thickness of the peaty deposit, the 
maximum in the phase being eighteen inches. The underlying 
material is very variable, and usually corresponds quite closely 
to the surrounding uplands. In regions where the surrounding 
soils are heavy, the subsoil is usually a silt loam or clay loam, 
often mottled in color. Where the uplands are sandy, the ma¬ 
terial composing the subsoil is usually light, consisting of tine 
sandy loam to very fine sand. The depth of the peaty material 
is also variable, and ranges from six to eighteen inches. 

In places small islands of muck, sand, or other soils have been 
included with the peat. These areas were too small and unim¬ 
portant to be mapped separately. 

The shallow phase of Peat is not very extensive and occurs 
only in small areas scattered throughout the county. 

The timber growth of this phase is practically the same as 
for the typical Peat, with the exception of tamarack. This tree 
is found only in a few places on shallow Peat. 

The production of marsh hay is about the only use made of 
this soil at present. It is used to a small extent for grazing. 
In its present condition it. has a low agricultural value. When 
drained it will be adapted to the same crops and types of farm¬ 
ing as the typical Peat. 

In most cases it is easier to improve the shallow phase as it 
will be more easily drained, and will require less compacting to 
make a good seed bed. 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FERTILITY OF PEAT SOILS. 

In the improvement of the peat lands of Outagamie County, 
the first step is drainage. With the exception of some of the 
marsh land immediately adjoining some of the larger streams, 
it is thought that most of the marshes could be readily drained 
and successfully cultivated. Along some of the larger streams, 
the surface of the Peat is so low that much of it would require 
diking, or the lowering of the bed of the stream, which would 
be very expensive and hardly justifyable under present con¬ 
ditions. 

The crops adapted to this land depend to a considerable ex¬ 
tent on the degree of drainage secured, and on the thorough- 


GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 


ness with which the ground is prepared. A much less expen¬ 
sive and complete drainage system would be necessary to fit 
this land for tame hay such as timothy and alsike clover than 
would be needed to fit it for corn, sugar beets and other culti¬ 
vated crops. For its highest development agriculturally, a tile 
drainage system in which the laterals are not more than eight 
to ten rods apart would be essential. 

The chief difference between peat soils and upland soils con¬ 
sisting largely of earthly matter, is that they have relatively 
small amounts of the mineral elements phosphorus, potassium, 
calcium, and magnesium, and have extremely high amounts of 
nitrogen in the organic matter. The average percentage of 
phosphorus in the peats of this region so far analyzed is 0.135 
per cent. This means that in an acre of soil to a depth of a 
foot there is approximately only 675 pounds, or in two feet 
1,350 pounds, in comparison with upland soils which have ap¬ 
proximately twice these amounts. Moreover, the acid condition 
of these soils renders the phosphorus less available than in non- 
acid soil. 

The deficiency of potassium in these soils is greater than 
that of phosphorus. They contain on the average of 0.3 per 
cent of this element, while good upland clay loam soils average 
2 per cent, or over six times as much expressed in percentage. 
When the greater weight of the upland soils is taken into ac¬ 
count it will be found that they contain in the upper two feet 
120,000 pounds per acre, while the peat soils contain but 3,000 
pounds. 

A large amount of organic matter in these soils gives them 
an extraordinary amount of nitrogen. They average 2.5 per 
cent of this element, while the upland silt loam soils of this 
region contain but about 0.12 per cent and this only in the 
surface eight inches—the amount in deeper layers being much 

less. 

As a result of this difference in the chemical composition the 
peat soils are very unbalanced. Their rational treatment re¬ 
quires the use of fertilizers containing especially the elements 
phosphorus and potash. These elements are contained in rela¬ 
tively small amounts in barnyard manure and good applica¬ 
tions of manure will secure good yields of crops on peat soils, 
but manure contains large amounts of nitrogen not needed 
bv the peat, so that when a farm includes upland soils as well 


56 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


as peat, the manure should be used on the upland soils and 
commercial fertilizers containing phosphorus and potash used 
on the peat land. 

On the deeper peats which are in a very raw and acid condi¬ 
tion the use of lime in some form in addition to the commercial 
fertilizers will be found profitable. Occasionally a marsh is 
found on which on account of coldness and high acidity at first 
nitrification or the chemical change by which the nitrogen in 
the organic matter becomes available to crops does not take 
place readily and the use of a light application of composted 
stable manure to inoculate the soil with the proper organisms 
is very helpful. 

Crops and system of farming on marsh lands .—Since the 
growth of corn and potatoes to which these marsh lands would 
otherwise be well adapted, is limited in this section on account 
of the danger from frost, the best staple crops for this land are 
grasses for hay and pasture, hardy root crops, and rye and, to a 
less extent, oats. When properly fertilized and limed, clover, 
alfalfa, and other legumes can also be grown. On fairly well 
drained marsh land not too raw good pasture can also be de¬ 
veloped. The compacting of the soil resulting from the use of 
this land as pasture is also a great benefit to it. When peat 
land is placed under cultivation a heavy roller should be classed 
along with implements necessary to its successful management. 

On account of the crops to which this land is adapted and its 
use as a pasture, marsh lands can be used for dairying or stock 
raising to good advantage. 

Certain special crops, such as cabbage, onions, buckwheat, and 
rape, are well adapted to such lands when well drained and fer¬ 
tilized. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


57 


CHAPTER VI. 

\ 

GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


HISTORY. 

As was the case in a large number of Wisconsin comities, 
the development of Agriculture in Outagamie County was pre¬ 
ceded by the logging and lumbering industries. 

The first settlement in what is now Outagamie County was 
made about 1843 by Father Van Der Broeck who had been mis¬ 
sionary to the Indians of the region for a number of years. He 
was instrumental in bringing a colony of Dutch immigrants 
who located at Little Chute. During this same year, the first 
buildings were erected in Appleton. The first farms opened 
after the advance of the lumbermen were small tracts, and often 
large areas of land remained in the cut-over stage for a con¬ 
siderable time before being parceled out in small farms. 

As the timber was first removed from the region adjoining 
the Fox River, agricultural development had its beginning also 
in this region. 

The crops which were grown by the early settlers were chiefly 
those which were used for home, or, at least, local consumption, 
and consisted largely of wheat, corn, potatoes, hay, root crops, 
etc. The methods which were at first followed were crude and 
no attempts were made, to follow any definite system of rota¬ 
tion or cultivation. Throughout the Fox River Valley the soils 
are of a heavy nature, and cultivation is more difficult than on 
the lighter soils. Cultural operations were not thorough. At 
times the ground was scratched only a little before grain was 
planted. 

While nearly all of the merchantable timber has been re¬ 
moved from this county and a large proportion of the land 
placed under cultivation, there are still some sections which 
have considerable undeveloped land. The section least de\ el¬ 
oped is confined to the northeastern part of the county which 


58 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


was originally included in the Oneida Indian Reservation. In 
the northwestern portion of the county in Maine, Deer Creek, 
Bovina, and Maple Creek townships there are considerable areas 
which are also unimproved due to the fact that in this region 
there is a large amount of poorly drained land and also some 
that is of a sandy nature. The greater proportion of the county, 
however, is highly improved agriculturally. 

While practically all of the general farm crops now grown 
were produced in the early history of the region, the relative 
importance of a number of crops has changed to a considerable 
degree. From the various census reports we gather very inter¬ 
esting information along this line. In 1880 there were 40,906 
acres devoted to wheat which was nearly three times the acreage 
devoted to oats, and more than twice the acreage devoted to 
corn. In 1890 there were only 22,000 acres in wheat, but the 
acreage of oats had increased to over 31,000. In 1910 the acre¬ 
age of wheat had dropped to 549 while the acreage of corn 
was 28,000 and oats 53,000. In 1920 there were 6,748 acres in 
wheat. In 1880 there were only about 3,000 acres in barley; in 
1910 there were over 17,000 acres, and in 1920, 9,600 acres. 
The following table shows the relative importance of the lead¬ 
ing crops over a period of years. 

TABLE SHOWING ACREAGE OP LEADING CROPS OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS. 


Crop 

1880 

1890 

1900 

1910 

1920 

Wheat - __ _ _ __ ___ 

40,906 

17,569 

15,209 

2,964 

1,269 

22,009 

11,908 

31,478 

3,097 

4,191 

15,113 

20,344 

54,680 

10,229 

2,961 

549 

28,038 

53,004 

17,403 

2,744 

48,502 

7,301 

21,177 

46,116 

9,600 

2,923 

59,181 

Oom_ ... _ _ ___ 

O ’ts_ _ _ _ 

Barley____ _ 

Rye __ _ _ _ 

Hay- 


PRESENT STATUS OF AGRICULTURE. 

The Agriculture of Outagamie County at present consists 
chiefly of general or mixed farming with dairying as the most 
important branch. The chief crops grown according to acre¬ 
age (taken from the 1920 census) are hay, oats, corn, barley, 
wheat, potatoes, and rye, with buckwheat, peas, sugar beats, 
and beans as crops of less importance. During the past few 
years the acreage of wheat has increased over ten fold. This 
increase was undoubtedly due to the greater demand for wheat 
owing to the war situation. 

























GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


59 


Practically all of the crops grown in this region may be con¬ 
sidered in part as cash crops, for hay, corn, oats, rye, and barley 
are sold to some extent directly from the farms. Potatoes are 
grown mainly for sale although they are one of the most im¬ 
portant subsistence crops. By far the greater proportion of the 
hay, corn, and oats produced is used in feeding livestock, and 
thus much of it finally reaches the market in the form of dairy 
products, beef, and pork. A considerable quantity of grain and 
hay is used as feed for work stock. 

Oats is grown more extensively than any other crop except 
hay. Its production is distributed throughout the county, and 
while it is grown on nearly all of the soils, best returns are 
secured from the fine sandy loams, loams, and clay loams rather 
than from the soils of lighter texture. 

Hay is the crop which is first in importance from the stand¬ 
point of acreage. This includes timothy and clover, together 
or separately, alfalfa, and also such crops as oats, or oats and 
peas which may be cut green for hay. Only a small proportion 
of the total hay crop consists of this latter variety, however. 
Hay-makes its best growth on the soils of medium to heavy 
texture rather than on the light sandy types. 

Corn is the crop of third importance from the standpoint of 
acreage. While corn will usually mature in this section a large 
proportion of it is used as ensilage since nearly every farmer 
has a silo. The soils of this county which are best adapted to 
corn raising are the fine sandy loams which have a rather heavy 
subsoil, since the sandy surface permits the ground to warm 
up quite early; so the crop can get a start more readily than 
on the heavier soils where the drainage is rather deficient, and 
the ground rather cold in the spring. 

Barley is a crop of considerable importance and is grown on 
a variety of soils. 

Rve is confined more extensively to the sandy portions of the 
county because these soils will produce rye better than any other 
grain crop. 

The growing of potatoes while of some importance has not 
reached the magnitude which this industry has in either Wau¬ 
paca or Portage Counties to the west. This fact is due chiefly 
to the soil in Outagamie County some of which is heavy and not 
so well suited to the commercial growing of potatoes as are the 
lighter so ils of the other two counties mentioned. In 1920 the 



60 


SOIL SUUVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


total area was 4,138 acres. Commercially potatoes are confined 
more extensively to the sandy soils of the northwestern portion 
of the county. They are .also grown to a considerable extent 
on such soils as the Superior fine sandy loam, rolling phase, 
which is very well suited to this crop. 

There are a number of special crops which are grown to 
some extent in this county. The most important of these crops 
is cabbage, grown most extensively in the vicinity of Shiocton. 
In this region cabbage is grown chiefly on the alluvial soils. The 
-total acreage amounted to 2,550 acres, according to the county 
report of 1917, with an average yield of 9.8 tons per acre, or a 
total production of nearly 25,000 tons. 

Onions and sugar beets are also grown to a limited extent. 

Some trucking is carried on in the vicinity of nearly all the 
towns, especially in the vicinity of Appleton and Kaukauna, al¬ 
though the soils in that portion of the county are not particu¬ 
larly well suited to this industry. These truck crops consist of 
cabbage, lettuce, radishes, onions, strawberries, and other vege¬ 
tables and small fruits. 

The following table shows the acreage and production of the 
important farm crops in Outagamie County. 


TABLE SHOWING ACREAGE OF FARM CROPS IN OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, 

WISCONSIN. 


Crop 

1909 

1919 

Corn____ ___ 

Oats___ 

28,038 A. 
53,004 

246 

287 

37,840 A. 
46,116 

Winter wheat__ _ 

Spring wheat... __ __ __ „ . 


Wheat_,_ _ 

7,301 

9,600 

2,923 

399 

277 

49,181 

47,713 

321 

24,990 T. 

Barley-- __ 

17,403 

2,744 

334 

649 

48,502 

Rye.—_ __ __ 

Buckwheat__ 

Dried peas ____ 

Tame hay_._ — __ 

Clover and timothy _ _ 

Alfalfa__ __ 


Cabbage _ _ 


Beans.._ 

138 

3,422 

4,276 

403 A. 

Wild hay___ 


Potatoes_-._ 

4,138 A. 

508 

1,698 

Sugar beets_ _ 

Silos_____ 




The growing of fruit is given comparatively little attention 
in Outagamie County. The fruit which is produced is grown 
chiefly for home use. On many of the farms there is a small 
orchard, which usually supplies apples for home use. Apples 





































GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


61 


do best over that portion of the county where the surface is 
somewhat rolling, on such as the rolling phase of Superior fine 
sandy loam and Miami types. The census of 1920 reported that 
there were at that time about 51,538 apple trees in the county 

of bearing age. There were also 7,390 cherry trees of bear¬ 
ing age. 

There were approximately 600 grape vines in bearing at that 
time, and about 72 acres devoted to strawberries. 

In this connection the fact may also be mentioned that in 
1920 there were about 3,865 maple trees which were being used 
for the production of maple syrup and sugar. 

The raising of live stock is an important industry in this re¬ 
gion. Dairying is the most important branch of the live stock 
industry, but some beef cattle and a large number of hogs are 
also raised. 

Poultry may be mentioned along with the general live stock 
industry. 

Dairying is by far the most important branch of agriculture 
which is followed in Outagamie County at present. The census 
of 1919 reported that there were slightly over 56,000 dairy cows 
in the county. During that year approximately 17,550,000 gal¬ 
lons of milk were produced. The dairy products find their 
way to market chiefly in the form of cheese, butter, and con¬ 
densed milk. There is also an appreciable amount of milk 
which is delivered as whole milk in the towns and cities of the 
area, and also some whole milk which is shipped to Green Bay. 

There is one condensery in New London, just over the line 
in Waupaca County, which receives a considerable amount of 
milk from Outagamie County. In 1917, there were twentj^-one 
butter factories and eighty-six cheese factories in the county. 
Of the dairy cows, those of the Holstein breed are most nu¬ 
merous, and there are a number of pure breds throughout the 
county although the grades still predominate. The following 
table shows the number of butter and cheese factories in this 
county, and also the amounts of cheese which have been pro¬ 
duced and marketed. 


(3 2 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


TABLE FROM WISCONSIN DAIRY AND FOOD COMMISSIONER. 



Butter 

Factories 

Cheese 

Factories 

1910 . - __ 

20 

19 

24 

21 

Pounds 
of cheese 
produced 

79 

79 

81 

86 

Amount 
received 
for cheese 

1916 .. .. _ 

1918 - _—-_ 


1915 _ __ _ __ 

9,190,978 

9,535,888 

$1,246,872.25 

2,081,424.32 

1917 ________— 



ADAPTATION OF CROPS TO SOILS. 

There is wide variation in the texture of the soils as they 
are found in Outagamie County, and also a wide range in the 
drainage conditions. It is generally recognized by farmers that 
some crops are better adapted than others to various soil types, 
but not so much attention has been given to the selection of 
crops and their adaptation to soils in this region as should be. 
As a result of experiments conducted at the various experiment 
stations, valuable information has been secured in this connec¬ 
tion. In selecting crops to be grown, the question of climate 
should be considered as well as soil, since in this region the 
growing season is somewhat shorter than in southern Wisconsin, 
and with such a crop as corn which is susceptible to frosts, 
this is a very important matter. 

In the growing of corn, the texture of the soil in this region 
is very important. On the heavy soils, the season is often 
rather backward; and since the season is rather short, the soils 
of a somewhat sandy nature are preferred. Probably the Su¬ 
perior fine sandy loam, rolling phase, is one of the best corn 
soils of this region. At the Spooner Station, the variety of corn 
known as Wisconsin No. 25 has been found to ripen within one 
hundred days. This variety is often ripe enough to permit 
seed selection by August 23d, may be fully ripe August 30th, 
and yet produced eight to fifteen tons of silage per acre. For 
seven years No. 25 averaged 57.4 bushels of corn an acre. 

In the matter of raising oats, this crop is better adapted to 
the soils of heavy texture, fine sandy loam or heavier, rather 





















GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


63 


than to the lighter soils. On the Ashland Experiment Farm, 
Pedigree No. 4 (Early Gothland) has been found to be a very 
satisfactory variety of oats to grow. In 1920 this variety out- 
yielded all other varieties, and in spite of a favorable season to 
favor rank growth, showed very little lodging. So far, early 
Gothland seems especially well adapted to upper Wisconsin, al¬ 
though one other new strain, No. 1214, has outyielded Pedigree 
No. 4 by eight bushels an acre on a six-year average. The Ash¬ 
land Station is on heavy, red clay soil, which is practically the 
same as the soil in the Fox River Valley. 

Wheat is grown to some extent in this region, and could be 
grown much more extensively with profit. At the Ashland Ex¬ 
periment Station on the red clay land the variety of wheat 
known as Baska, No. 408, has yielded as high as 51 bushels an 
acre, or an average of 31 bushels for a seven-year period. The 
variety No. 11837 yielded 34.2 bushels an acre for seven-year 
period, and variety No. 11825 yielded 32.4 bushels an acre for 
the same period. These are all winter wheats, and it has been 
demonstrated that winter wheats give larger yields and are 
more profitable to raise than spring wheats. Of the spring grain 
which have been tried, Marquis seems to give the best results. 
The well drained red clay lands seem to be better adapted to 
wheat growing in northern Wisconsin than the other type of 
soils. In considering these results it should be kept in mind of 
course that the climatic conditions at Ashland are somewhat 
different than in Outamagie county, although similar soils 
are to be found in both regions. 

Peas are grown to a greater or less extent in this region, 
and their production could be materially extended with profit. 
The varieties which have given the best results at the Ashland 
Experiment Station on the red clay are the Scotch, which has 
yielded 22.9 bushels an acre over a period of ten years, and the 
Green which yielded 22.6 bushels an acre over the same period. 
Peas pay better and give a larger profit per acre than any of 
the small grains. 

The growing of rye can be made profitable, and this crop is 
especially well adapted to soils of a somewhat sandy nature; 
in fact, it does better on the sandy soils than any of the other 
small grains. Wisconsin Rye, Pedigree No. 2, has given very 
good satisfaction as grown at the Spooner Experiment Station, 
as well as in other sections of the state. Winter rye should be 


64 


SOIL SUEYEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


grown instead of spring rye, since the yields are materially 
higher, the average for several years at the Madison Station 
giving 44.1 bushels (winter rye), and 23.9 bushels spring rye. 
The weight per bushel of the winter rye is also somewhat higher 
than the spring rye. Rye can be grown with profit on heavy 
soils as well as light soils, but as indicated, it gives better re¬ 
sults on the sandy land than the other small grains. 

Potatoes where grown on a commercial scale usually give 
more satisfactory results on soils which are somewhat sandy. 
Potato growing in Outagamie County is not so highly developed 
as in Portage or Waushara County, but there are soils here 
which are very well adapted to this crop. The Superior fine 
sandy loam, rolling phase, should be especially well suited to 
potato growing. Very good yields have been secured on the 
heavy clay lands similar to those in Outagamie County, but the 
difficulties of growing and harvesting are much greater than 
on lighter soils. 

In regard to root crops, carrots and rutabagas do better than 
mangles or beets on the light soils. Excellent yields of mangles 
and beets have been secured on the Superior clay loam. Mon¬ 
arch rutabagas have yielded on an average of 24.57 tons an 
acre, and the Bangholm rutabagas yielded 21 tons an acre. The 
Mammoth long red mangle yielded 17.49 tons an acre, and sugar 
beets yielded 17.87 tons an acre. 

The various types of farming are also influenced by soil con¬ 
ditions, and the dairy industry is most highly developed in the 
region of heavy soils. Agriculture is less developed in the por¬ 
tions of the county where the soils are of a sandy nature. 

ROTATION OF CROPS. 

• ' 

In discussing rotations, farm crops may be divided into three 
classes: 

1. Grain crops—generally shallow feeders, add little humus 
or organic matter, and tend to weediness. 

2. Ilay crops—legumes, timothy, etc. Legumes have exten¬ 
sive root systems, tap roots, add organic matter or humus and 
also plant food (nitrogen). They also improve the physical 
condition of the soil. 

3. Cultivated crops—corn, potatoes, etc., conserve moisture, 
favor decomposition of organic matter, and destroy weeds. 
Some are deep feeders, as corn, while root crops are shallow 
feeders. 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


65 


A good rotation should necessarily include crops belonging 
to each of these three classes. The value of such practice is 
apparent in its effect on the physical condition of the soil, on 
weediness, on organic matter supply, on plant diseases, and 
on nitrogen supply of the soil. Better yields are, therefore, 
obtained when crops are rotated than when a single cropping 
system is followed. 

Again, crop rotation permits raising livestock and means di¬ 
versified farming. No one will deny the benefits of this type 
of farming in stabilizing farm business and making best use 
of labor and equipment the year around. 

It should not be understood, however, that crop rotation 
means maintaining the supply of plant food better than where 
a single cropping system is practiced. It is often said that 
certain crops are “hard” on the soil in the sense that they 
remove more plant food than other crops. In part that is true, 
but a more important difference is that some plants remove 
more of certain elements than others. Again, a crop like corn, 
because of its root development and length of growing season, 
may utilize plant food that is less soluble. 

Potatoes require relatively more potassium; corn draws 
heavily on nitrogen; while legumes are heavy feeders of lime 
(calcium) and also require large amounts of phosphorus, po¬ 
tassium, and nitrogen (some of which may be extracted from 
the air in the soil). Again, grain crops and roots require 
plant food that is readily available, while corn is less par¬ 
ticular in this respect. 

By properly rotating crops, therefore, the soil is subjected 
to these different “feeding characteristics”. One crop com¬ 
pensates for the other, and there is maintained more nearly 
a balanced condition than with the single crop system. 

It is of great importance that in selecting crops to grow, 
careful consideration be given to the question of climate. This 
is about the only factor which the farmer cannot control. A 
poor soil may be improved, better markets may be found, and 
better labor secured; but the farmer is powerless to change 
climatic conditions. He must, therefore, select such crops 
as are suited to his climate. 

The soil is also a factor of great importance. As a general 
rule, small grain crops do better on heavy than on light soils, 
and the same is true of grasses grown for hay. On the other 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


fib 

hand, the same variety of corn requires a shorter season for 
maturity on light than on heavy soil. Rather light soils and 
those of intermediate texture are better adapted to potato 
growing. 

Shipping and marketing facilities must also be considered 
in planning a rotation. The farmer located on a sandy loam 
farm close to a railroad station or home market will often 
find it profitable to include potatoes in his rotation. If he is 
located six or seven miles from a station, the profits from grow¬ 
ing potatoes will be much lessened. It will then pay him bet¬ 
ter to raise more corn for stock feeding, and to convert his 
crops into dairy products which are less bulky, and which for 
the same bulk have a greater value. 

There is no one best system of rotation.* The rotation de- 
pends on the system of farming, and this depends largely on 
the personal choice of the farmer, for some prefer one system 
and some another. It is highly desirable to rotate crops, but 
a serious mistake to think that rotation takes the place of 
other equally sound practices, such as liming and fertilizing. 

Following are a few suggestions regarding .the selection of 
rotations for Outagamie County. 

1. Rye. 

2. Barley, oats, or spring wheat seeded to clover. 

3. Clover. 

4. Cultivated crop. 

5. Peas. 

This rotation has been worked out at the Experiment Station 
Farm at Madison. The following rotation has been worked out 
at the Experiment Station on sandy soils: 

1. Rye, sown as soy beans. 

2. Clover. 

3. Corn or potatoes. 

4. Soy beans. 

Other rotations suited to heavier soils consists of 

1. Corn. 

2. Oats or barley. 

3. Clover. # 

4. Winter wheat seeded to clover. 

5. Clover. 

1. Clover. 


♦See Bulletins 222. 347 Wis. Exp. Station. 



GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


(>7 


2. A cultivated crop. 

3. Peas. 

4. Winter wheat seeded to clover. 

A three-year rotation which is quite commonly used is a culti¬ 
vated crop, followed by a small grain, followed by clover. This 
may be changed to a four-year rotation by planting timothy and 
clover, and cutting hay for two years. This may be changed 
to a five-year rotation by following mixed hay with peas, and 
then following peas with a cultivated crop. Potatoes fit in well 
with a rotation, and in the sandy sections may be grown in rota¬ 
tion with small grain and clover; the second crop of clover is 
plowed down to supply organic matter. 

On the marsh lands as they are reclaimed the question of 
crop rotation should also be considered. There are three types 
of farming to which marsh soils are adapted, and these are stock 
raising or dairy farming, trucking or a combination of the two 
in which neither type predominates. Grain farming cannot as 
yet be recommended on marsh soils. Where a farmer has thirty 
or forty acres of peat he can divide the field into four parts and 
raise cabbage on one, sugar beets on one, grain on one, and hay 
on the other. Thus a four-year rotation of hay, sugar beets, 
cabbage and grain would be practiced on the peat. On a dairy 
farm, two or three crops of corn may be grown in succession but 
in this region one should take into account the danger from 
frost. The corn may be followed by grain, and this by clover 
and timothy. The hay may be cut the first year and pastured 
the second. Potatoes may also be grown on peat land but here 
again the danger from frost must be considered. In some local¬ 
ities outside of this area in this and other states, a one-crop sys¬ 
tem is being followed where celery, peppermint, or some other 
crop is the entire source of income. While a rotation of crops 
on such land is not absolutely essential, a change of crops is de¬ 
sirable to aid in the control of weeds and insect pests. 


FARM EQUIPMENT. 

Agriculture in Outagamie County is highly developed, and the 
farm buildings over most of the area reflect the prosperous 
condition of the farm population. Large, well-painted barns 
equipped with modern appliances for the handling of dairy 
cattle, are common throughout the Fox River Valley, and the 
region covered by the Superior soils. The houses are well con- 


68 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


strueted and painted; many of them are supplied with electric 
lights, telephone, and rural mail service. In 1920 there were 
2,043 silos arid 343 tractors in Outagamie County. In the more 
sandy and less developed sections of the county represented by 
the districts in the central and north central part, the farm 
buildings are not so well constructed, neither are they kept in 
as good repair, as in the Fox River Valley. Even in this re¬ 
gion, however, the condition may be considered, fair; and it may 
be said that the fertility of the soil is reflected in the character 
of the buildings and equipment on each farm. 

FARM TENURE AND LABOR. 

In 1920 there were 3,746 farms in Outagamie County, the 

average size of which was 92.9 acres. Of this number of farms 

only 688 are operated by foreign born farmers; 84.1 per cent 

of the land in the countv is in farms, and of the land in farms 

*/ 

68 per cent is improved. There are on each farm an average 
of 63.2 acres of improved land. 

Of all the farms, 90.81 per cent, or 3,400 farms, are operated 
bj 7 the owners, 42 by managers, and 304 are operated by tenants. 
Of the farms which are rented, somewhat more than 50 per 
cent are on a cash rental basis, and the remainder on a share 
basis. 

The census of 1920 reported 2,271 farms in the county upon 
which there was a mortgage debt. The same report indicated 
that 1,039 farms were free from mortgaged debt. There was 
no report on a number of farms. 

The supply of farm labor is fairly good. In many cases women 
and children assist in farm work. When men are hired by 
the year or month, the wage ranges from $40.00 to $70.00 a 
month, depending on the experience of the man. Married men 
are usually given a house in which to live as well as fuel and a 
garden. During harvest and haying times when extra labor is 
often needed, the wages are somewhat higher than this, when 
engaged by the day. 

METHODS. 

In general, the methods of farming which are followed are 
practically the same as those practiced throughout the general 
farming and dairying sections in Wisconsin. The silo is in 
common use, and about 60 per cent of the corn crop is handled 


GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. - 69 

as ensilage. The hay crop is usually stored in the barn or 
stacked, and used mainly as feed for stock. In the production 
of crops, modern machinery is in use, and the tractor is quite 
common in most parts of the county. It is considered desirable 
to plow heavy land in the fall if it is possible to do so, but on 
light, sandy soils spring plowing is preferable. On almost all 
farms a rotation of crops is practiced, although not always the 
one which is best suited to conditions prevailing on the farm. 

The heavy soils of the Superior series require careful tillage 
and must be plowed when the moisture conditions are most 
favorable in order to prevent the formation of clods. Heavy 
tools and work stock are needed on this land, but when culti¬ 
vated under proper conditions but little difficulty is experienced ' 
in securing a good seed bed. 

In the cultivation of marsh soils which are beginning to be 
improved, the use of a roller for compacting the peat is very 
important. The roller is also an implement which can be used 
to advantage on the sandy soils, and the corrugated roller is 
especially desirable. 


LIMING.* 


Outagamie County lies in part within the glaciated limestone 
region of Wisconsin, and a considerable proportion of the soils 
have been derived in part from limestone material. The sub¬ 
soil of most of the types is well supplied with lime, and the 
surface of the soil in many places is neutral or only very 
slightly acid; in fact, many tests for acidity have been made 
where the soil does not show any reaction whatever. The types 
which are most apt to show an acid reaction are soils of the 
Antigo series, Whitman series, Coloma series, and the peat, soils. 
Where the peat is surrounded by soils of the Superior series, 

the least acidity in marshes is found. 

The degree of acidity is somewhat variable, and each farmer 
may find a variation in acidity on his farm. It is essential, 
therefore, that every farm should have his various fields tested 
before making an expenditure for lime. The county agent can 
do this, or samples may be sent to the Soils Department of the 
University where free tests will be made. Failure of clover 
and alfalfa or a growth of sorrel may be an indication of acidity. 


■►See Bulletin No. 312 Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


70 

About two tons of ground limestone per acre is the usual ap¬ 
plication where soils show slight to medium acidity. The amount 
to be used, however, may vary with the degree of acidity, the 
character of the soil, and the crop to be grown. Such crops 
as alfalfa, sweet clover, peas, cabbage, onions, and lettuce have 
a high lime requirement. Clover, garden beans, barley, hemp, 
turnips, and radishes have a medium lime requirement, while 
vetch, white clover, oats, rye, blue grass, potatoes, sorghum, and 
others have a low requirement for lime. 

Ground limestone is doubtless the most economical fortn of 
lime which can be extensively utilized in Outagamie County. 
Lime should be applied previous to planting the crop which 
is to be benefited. It should be applied to plowed land and 
thoroughly worked in by harrowing. Either fall, winter, or 
spring applications may be made on heavy soils, but on light 
soils spring application is preferable. 

The best way to apply lime is with a regular spreader made 
for this purpose, and there are a number on the market. A 
manure spreader may also be used by first putting in a thin layer 
of manure and spreading the limestone evenly on top of the 
manure. Where several farmers are so situated that they can 
work together, a lime spreader may be secured jointly for this 
purpose. 

After making a first application of two tons per acre, it is 
not likely that another application will be needed for four to 
six years, and the need should again be determined by soil 
acidity tests, as well as by the story which the crops them¬ 
selves tell. 

It should be remembered that most acid soils are also deficient 
in available phosphorus, but applying lime will not add to the 
total amount of phosphorus in the soil. The need of phos¬ 
phorus may be so great that but little result will be secured from 
liming until phosphorus is also added. Frequently the appli¬ 
cation of phosphorus alone to an acid soil will result in larger 
increases than the use of lime alone, and for this reason, it is 
important that both deficiencies should be corrected to secure 
the most economical production. 


GEXEHAL AC* HI Cl' LTV RE AND CLIMATE. 


71 


DISTRIBUTION OF LIME, COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER AND MANURE.’ 


Phosphate or other fertilizers or lime should be uniformly 

distributed. Ground limestone is applied at the rate of from 

2.000 to 4.000 pounds or more an acre, while with phosphates 

and other fertilizers the amount applied for staple crops is 

usually from 75 to 400 pounds. It is difficult to construct a 

machine which will satisfactorily distribute both fertilizer and 

»/ 

limestone, although excellent machines are on the market for 
distributing each separately. The fertilizer distributor may 
be a part of a grain drill or a separate machine. The ma¬ 
chine for distributing ground limestone should be provided 
with a double agitator so as to secure continuous feeding. 

End gate seeders which will distribute proper amounts of 
either fertilizer or ground limestone fairly well are available. 

When a fertilizer distributor is not available the acid phos¬ 
phate or other fertilizer may be spread evenly over the manure 
in the manure spreader, and so receive a very fair distribution. 
This method will give very good results until such time as a 
grain drill with fertilizer attachment can be purchased. The 
amount to be applied on each spreader load must be calculated 
so the right amount per acre will be applied. An old drill or 
seeder may also be used to distribute the fertilizer going ahead 
of the grain drill. 

The care and use of the manure produced is an important 
factor in the management of dairy and stock farms. The chief 
advantage of these types of farming is that the proper use of 
the manure or other waste products makes it possible to main¬ 
tain profitable yields with comparatively little purchased fer¬ 
tilizer. But it is only when intelligent care is taken that this 
result is possible. Much of the available plant food in manure 
is readily soluble in water, so that if the manure is exposed 
to the rain in fiat or shallow piles, a considerable part of its 
value is lost. This affects nitrogen and potash especially. It is 
important also to recognize that a large portion of this element 
is in the liquid part of the manure and that it is necessary, 
therefore, to use bedding or absorbents freely to prevent a con¬ 
siderable loss. This is particularly true of potash, about 60 per 
cent of which is contained in the liquid manure. 


♦For detailed information on the use of commercial fertilizers see 
bulletins of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


72 


Ordinarily the best practice is to haul the manure directly 
to the field. When this is not practicable the pile should be 
kept compact, well trodden and moist, as it can be through the 
use of slightly saucer-shaped manure pit, from the outer sides 
of which the ground slopes away so as to prevent water wash¬ 
ing into the pit itself. In this climate the use of shelter is of 
doubtful importance, though where more rains occur, particu¬ 
larly in the winter, a shed roof is very helpful. 

The rate and frequency with which manure is applied de¬ 
pends in part on the character of the soil on the farm. On 
lighter soils more frequent applications of small amounts are 
desirable than on heavier soils. Five or six loads per acre every 
third year is desirable on the sandy loams, while eight to twelve 
or more every fourth or even fifth year mav be used to ad- 
vantage on heavier soils. 


DRAINAGE.* 

t . 

Outagamie County has approximately 115,000 acres of land 
which the soil survey has classed as poorly drained, and which 
must be provided with some form of drainage before cultivated 
crops can be grown safely from year to year. Of this poorly 
drained land, approximately 50 per cent consists of peat, nearly 
15,000 acres consists of overflow land classed as Genesee, and 
the remainder consists of low, poorly drained mineral soils, be¬ 
longing to the Povgan, Whitman, and Clyde Series. This esti¬ 
mate does not include the Superior clay loam which is a level, 
heavy soil, needing drainage in places. 

The largest areas of undrained land occur in the northwest¬ 
ern quarter and the west central parts adjoining the Wolf, 
Embarrass, and Shioc Rivers. 

At the present time, there are approximately eighteen thou¬ 
sand acres of poorly drained land in operating drainage enter 
prises. Of this, 5,468 acres are classed as improved, but only 
2 to 3 per cent of this improved land is actually in farms. 
There are 68.4 miles of open ditches with six additional miles 
under construction. The amount of capital invested in enter¬ 
prises which have been completed or which are under construc- 
t on amounts to $167,540. 


*Tho^e who are interested in drainage should apply to the Wisconsin 
Experiment Station for more specific information concerning their indi¬ 
vidual problems. Several drainage bulletins are available. 



GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 7 

1 he type of low land which offers the greatest opportunity for 
drainage is included in the Poygan, Whitman, and Clyde Series. 
These types of land when thoroughly drained will all make 
excellent farm land, and conditions are such that most of this 
land can be reclaimed at a cost which will make the development 
profitable. The peat soils, on the other hand, require much 
more careful cultivation and fertilization after drainage, and 
much of this land also lies tributary to large streams which are 
sluggish in their movement, and the lowering of which is fre¬ 
quently necessary before the adjoining peat land can be thor¬ 
oughly drained. 

The drainage of some of the peat, therefore, offers obstacles 
greater than the drainage of the heavier soils. There are consid¬ 
erable areas of peat land, however, which can be readily drained, 
and on which drainage enterprises are now under way. The 
completion of these various drainage enterprises will add a lanre 
acreage to the tillable land within the county. 

Most of the marsh land within the county is still unimproved, 
and the chief use which is being made of it is for pasture and 
to some extent for marsh hay. 

Where areas of low land include several farms, the owners 
can readily form a drainage district, and sell bonds to pay for 
the improvement. This is the method which has been used, and 
a number of drainage districts have already been established 
in the county. I 11 this way, the cost of the drainage can be 
spread over a number of years, and can actually be paid for 
from the products of the improved acres. Assistance in the 
development of such projects can, and in fact must, be secured 
from the state authorities, who pass upon the possibility of the 
project before the state permits the organization of a drainage 
district. Where the areas of marsh land are small and confined 
to one farm, and where there is sufficient outlet, the farmer can 
install his own tile system without the co-operation of adjoining 
land owners. This has been done on a number of occasions, yet 
there are thousands of acres in small tracts which have not been 
improved. 

For a more detailed discussion of drainage, see bulletins 284 
and 309, Wisconsin Experiment Station. 


74 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


CLIMATE. 

The climate of Outagamie County is typical of that of east- 
central Wisconsin. It is healthful, though subject to extreme 
changes in temperature. The winters are long and severe. The 
thermometer frequently falls as low as —20° F. The ground 
freezes to a depth of 1 to 3 feet. Snow usually remains on the 
ground from December to March or later and protects such win¬ 
ter crops as clover, alfalfa, and wheat. The summers are com¬ 
paratively short, but pleasant. The thermometer sometimes 
reaches 100° F. or more. The highest temperature recorded at 
New London is 104° F., but such extremes are rare. The hot¬ 
test periods during the summer months seldom continue for more 
than a few days, and it is unusual for the temperature to re¬ 
main below zero for more than a week at a time during the 
winter. 

The average rainfall of 32.68 inches is distributed throughout 
the year, although the precipitation is heaviest during the grow¬ 
ing season and lightest in the winter. The average for the sum¬ 
mer months of June, July and August is 11.63 inches. 

The average date of the last killing frost in the spring, as re¬ 
corded at New London, is May 10, and that of the first in the 
fall, September 25. This gives an average growing season of 
138 days. The length, however, varies somewhat in different 
parts of the county, and in the southeastern part of the county, 
in the region of the Fox River, the season may be 5 to 10 days 
longer. Killing frost has been recorded at New London as late 
in the spring as June 12 and as early in the fall as August 30. 

In the following table are given the more important climatic 
data as recorded by the Weather Bureau station at New London : 

c/ 




GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND ULULATE. 




/.) 


NORMAL MONTHLY, SEASONAL, AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPI¬ 
TATION AT NEW LONDON. 


Month. 


December_ 

.January_ 

February_ 

Winter 

March_ 

April_ 

May_ 


Spring 


./ one_ 

July_ 

August- 

Summer 

September_ 

October_ 

November_ 

Fall_ 

Year_ 


Temperature. 


Precipitation. 


\ 

1 



Total 

Total 





amount 

amount 


Absolute 

Absolute 


for the 

for the 

Mean. 

Maxi- 

mini- 

Mean. 

driest 

wettest 


mum. 

mum. 


year 

year 





(1910). 

(1916). 

°F. 

° F. 



Inches. 

Inches. 

20.5 

53 

-25 

1.39 

0.82 

0.73 

15.4 

52 

—31 

1.10 

1.16 

2.89 

16.1 

50 

—37 

1.28 

.84 

1.23 

17.3 

53 

-37 

3.77 

2.82 

4.85 

•29.6 

82 

—IS 

2.04 

.12 

1.79 

41.5 

87 

8 

2.69 

5.89 

2.27 

56.1 

91 

20' 

1.41 

1.63 

5.35 

43.4 

91 

-18 | 

9.14 

7.64 

9.41 

65.8 

104 

32 

3.94 

1.16 

6.81 

70.4 

102 

41 ! 

4.35 

.78 

1.70 

67.9 

97 

33 

3.34 

2.78 

3.78 

68.0 

104 

32 

11.63 

4.72 

12.29 

60.5 

97 

19 , 

3.67 

4.83 

6.40 

48.8 

85 

14 

2.50 

1.30 

4.75 

33.6 

71 

—14 

1.97 

2.34 

2.70 

47.6 

97 

—14 

8.14 

8.47 

13.86 

44.1 

104 

-37 

32.68 

23.65 

40.40 































































































76 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


SUMMARY. 

Outagamie County is situated in the east central part of Wis¬ 
consin, between Lake Winnebago and Green Bay. It has an 
area of 646 square miles, or 413,440 acres. 

All of the countv drains directly or indirectly into Green Bay. 
The southeastern corner is traversed by the Fox River, which 
flows directly into Green Bay. The western part of the county 
is crossed by the Embarrass, Shioc and Wolf Rivers, the waters 
of which find their way into Lake Winnebago, and then through 
the Fox River into Green Bay. The first-named streams are 
rather sluggish, but the Fox River in a distance of 35 miles has 
a fall of 170 feet. Many large manufacturing establishments 
use power developed from this stream. 

Farm operations in this county followed closely upon the re¬ 
moval of the timber. All parts of the county are well improved. 
The northwestern part, which contains considerable areas of 
Peat marshes and some tracts of sandy soil, is least developed. 

All parts of the county are well supplied with railroads, and 
the wagon roads throughout the county are generally in good 
condition. Under a State Highway improvement law many 
gravel and crushed-rock roads are now being constructed. A 
system of concrete roads, which will ultimately connect the 
county seat with practically all towns in the county, is one of 
the most important road projects. 

The soils of Outagamie County have been derived from glacial, 
lacustrine, and alluvial material. In addition, there are large 
deposits of Peat, consisting of partly decayed organic matter. 
The soils are classified into 10 series and 24 types, exclusive of 
Peat. 

The Superior series-include light-brown soils with heavy, red 
clay subsoils, occupying areas where the surface is level to roll¬ 
ing. The fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, and clay loam are 
mapped in this survey. 

The Poygan series consists of dark-colored, low lying, poorly 
drained soils having heavy, red clay subsoils. In this county the 
fine sandy loam, silt loam and clay loam are mapped. 

The Coloma series includes the light-colored, light textured 
soils which have been derived through glacial action largely from 
sandstone. The Coloma fine sand and fine sandy loam are 
mapped in this countv. 




GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE. 


77 


The Antigo series consists of light-colored soils which occupy 
out wash plains or stream terraces where the material has come 
mainly from crystalline rocks. The types mapped in this sur¬ 
vey are the fine sandy loam and loam. 

The Plainfield fine sand is similar to the Antigo soils except 
that it has been derived largely from sandstone material. 

The Miami fine sandy loam and loam are light-colored upland 
soils derived chiefly from glaciated limestone material. 

The Whitman series is similar to the Antigo except that the 
soils are dark colored and contain much larger amounts of or¬ 
ganic matter. They are often acid. The types mapped are the 
fine sandy loam and loam. 

The Clyde series consists of low-lying, dark-colored soils occu¬ 
pying old lake beds or stream valleys where the soil material has 
come largely from glaciated limestone. They are similar to the 
Whitman soils except that they contain considerable lime car¬ 
bonate and are very seldom acid. The members of the Clyde 
series mapped are the fine sandy loam, till phase, and the silt 
loam, till phase. 

The Genesee series consists of brown soils which occupy first 
bottoms along streams in the glaciated region. They are sub¬ 
ject to overflow. The fine sandy loam and silt loam are mapped 
in this county. 

In addition to the above soils, extensive areas of Peat are 
mapped in Outagamie County. Peat consists of decaying vege¬ 
table matter with which there has been incorporated a very small 
amount of fine mineral particles. 

Agriculture in this county consists chiefly of general farming, 
with dairying as the most important branch. The chief crops 
grown are hay, oats, corn, barley and rye. Smaller acreages 
are devoted to such crops as potatoes, cabbage, sugar beets and 
buckwheat. 

Dairy products find their way to market chiefly in the form of 
butter and cheese. In 1917 there were produced in this county 
over 9y 2 million pounds of cheese. There are 21 butter factories 
and 86 cheese factories in the county. 

Holstein cows are most numerous in the dairy herds and all 
the dairy stock is gradually being improved. 

In 1920 there were a total of 3,746 farms in the county, of an 
average size of 92.9 acres. About 91 per cent of the farms were 
operated by the owners. 


78 


SOIL SURVEY OF OUTAGAMIE COUNTY. 


Well-located and highly improved farms have a selling price 


at present of $150 to $250 an acre. Rather sandy soils of low 


agricultural value have a selling price of $20 to $50 an acre, 
depending upon the location, improvements, soil condition and 
other factors. 

The climate of Outagamie County is representative of a large 
section of eastern Wisconsin. The mean annual rainfall is 32.7 
inches. The average length of the growing season as recorded 

at New London is 138 days. 

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